Vim is SO Happy!!! - ThinnerTimes

Vim&Vigour · 04-05-2008, 05:56 PM

5th April 2008
Exactly 4 months out today.
I have lost 42% of my wls journey so far.
I am SO very happy at the improved me, at being FREE, feeling younger, lighter and just grateful to be ALIVE...

You know that feeling you get at times, such as "falling in love", finding the "dream" house, that "great" job...? You just know it when you see it. But know what exactly? Well, you "know" that the glove fits, that everything falls into place...

I am done with feeling blue... I am done with being MO... I am done with being old... I just "know" that the corner I have turned is a real right angle corner, not a pretend, temporary corner... A major moment in my Life. A feeling that has been in the formation these last 5 days...

Several of my Forum Friends have been immensely helpful in giving me the unexpected "final push", the break from the past. Be it from suggesting ideas, reading your threads, blogging, sense of humour, practical tips, goals, experience, walking a similar path to mine, or just being visible across the boards… My immense Thank You to you all – you have made my world go round!

I have been given the rare chance of being set free from myself. I still am great friends with myself, but through the regeneration I have left the frayed bits of my old soul behind! (The “old skin” might undergo a body lift, but only if really necessary – time will tell!). The knowledge I have gained along the way is one thing – now I am acquiring the wisdom in using it properly.

I am so happy. It is my responsibility to BE happy in all sincerity. I have lived so much sadness and torment that I have cried myself dry. I have weaned myself from a sad past.

Now it is onto a “5 day pouch test”! Use my tool with skill and discipline!

Thank you so very very much my Forum Pals for just “being there”, 24/7!

Warmest wishes to you all,
Vim

rappaport · 04-05-2008, 06:12 PM

Congrats to you Vim. Your zeal for life is an inspiration to me and I enjoy the way you find such pleasure, and how splendid you are at putting those moments into words.

Vim&Vigour · 04-05-2008, 06:28 PM

Thank you David for your warm words - they mean so much to me.
That is typically a way for me of being Happy! Appreciating the "small" things in Life and focusing on the positive, however humble, rather than complaining about "today's youth", taxes, crime rate etc! I am in a rush to make up for lost time!
Come on my journey - the World is OUR place!
Your friend,
Vim

splendifor · 04-05-2008, 07:38 PM

VV

I love all the things you write and when I see you've posted I go right to that one

Congratulations on the milestone!

LyndasRoom · 04-05-2008, 07:44 PM

Vim,
You are such a pleasure to have around. It sounds like you are appreciating yourself too! I really appreciate your way with words, and letting us share your journey.

Corrine · 04-05-2008, 07:57 PM

You've done a remarkable job Vim - both with the WLS and with finding your inner self.

I learnt long ago that I mostly put everyone elses' wants and needs above my own. That had to change or my journey was never going to be a success.

Having confidence in who you are, where you're going and what you want to achieve in life doesn't come easy but it's something I will continue to pursue.

Question - why are you going to do the 5 day pouch test at just 4 month out? Did I miss one of your posts?

Toony · 04-05-2008, 10:27 PM

Vim... your screen name sure fits you! CONGRATULATIONS on a job well done... I'm so excited for you!

Ditto on the pouch test... did I miss something?

waterbottle · 04-06-2008, 02:28 AM

Hello Vim

I thought your post was great, I know how you are feeling I also was told last week that I have lost 56% of my excess weight in 7 months and was elated like you are. But I have the added bonus of finding love as well so my journey with the band has found me love and set me free like you.

This forum is so good to help you when you need it and also to offer support when its needed.

I would like to get all of us to get together and met as this is great but I think we could offer each other so much more if we met in person.

well done and I am so glad you are so happy and you also DESERVE TO BE YOU HAVE WORKED SO HARD

take care DIanne

Vim&Vigour · 04-06-2008, 03:47 AM

Oh, David, Jacki, Lynda, Corrine, Katie and Dianne!

What a wonderful treat to log into TTF this morning and find all your kind and warm words. These are the very ones that, invisible as you are, give an underpinning to a good day, a bright outlook and a positive frame of mind! Thank you so much!

I have decided that my glass is half full. Is it to do with being more "mature" ie 50? Or because it takes as much "effort" being negative as it does being happy? I have had an ordinary life with unusual events - to me they have been unusual. But perhaps because I "perceive" the situations individually as special in the circumstances...

I walked around the other day for a whole morning from getting out of bed until lunchtime with the 45 pounds I have lost, strapped in a backpack and around my waist. Boy oh boy was I thrilled when I took the weights off 5 hours later! How could I have walked around every day, the whole day with such an amount of weight for YEARS and years???!!!

One aspect for me of the surgery was what my surgeon told me on the eve of the deed: my job here as your surgeon is to be the technician - you do all the work. A very useful lesson right from the start.

The reason for my 5 day pouch test is that I can eat virtually anything I would like WITHOUT E V E R DUMPING!!! In working on my "emotional" development alongside the weight loss I have not been as careful about my dietary intake as I would like. Though an excellent multi-tasker for non-personal issues, I can only deal with one aspect of myself at a time in batches, i.e. surgical recovery, eating plan, exercise, mental process. I have let go of the discipline of being strict about what I eat (chocolate, biscuits, yoghurts, wine, pasta, toast...) in favour of "bringing to a conclusion" my mental state. Now that I have dealt with the emotions, I am free to pull myself up on the eating!

One great difference in the surgery method and outcome done in Europe is the cultural aspect. Our pouches are made slightly larger than in the US so that we have a greater enjoyment of the ceremony of mealtimes. In France, the whole country shuts down for middle day lunch. In Italy, Spain and Greece, they take it further by adding a siesta. The limb is adapted to offer a greater malabsorption instead, so the end-result compared with the US is the same.

My whole home is being totally renovated: rewired and new lighting installed, a new kitchen fitted, 3 shower rooms ripped out and reinstalled, all rooms painted (by myself), curtains (myself too) and garden (thankfully Darling Husband for the heavy work) (by us both). In the last week I have been slipping in biscuits and extra ones with my tea breaks, more and more frequent... By being drastic and having a "fresh start", and now that I am more knowledgeable about the workings of the pouch, I feel that a relaunch (like rebooting a computer) will be the more helpful option for me. Sometimes you cut back in order to go forward. You prune rose bushes hard back in order to enjoy improved growth. You deadhead flowers to get a second blush. You make space on a work surface before you start a new task…

Early bird catches the worm – better catch myself with my pouch before I slip into really bad habits! I have knowledge, understanding, a tool and now a new reason and the discipline – I’m going for it!

Thank you so much and I am sorry it is so long!

Cheers from
Vim in SNOWY LONDON!!! The first time I have seen the white stuff in OVER TWO YEARS!!!

waterbottle · 04-06-2008, 03:55 AM

Hello again Vim

Wow what an essay lol you must feel better getting that off your chest.

I have to be honest with you now. If I had any food in the house like biscuits etc I would be tempted so for me maybe you can stop buying all of the foods that make it easy for you to slip back into your old ways.

for me the control is the hardest and if I have no temptation in my way I have a brick wall of will power, but when I visit Ian I am always tempted to look in his biscuit barrel. Ian doe not understand how hard it is to control our old eating habits. For me the picture on my fridge reminds me how far I have come and on my own for you maybe put a picture on the biscuit tin that way you will look all the time at that before you open and eat hahahaha.

you just be proud of what you have lost you are a great inspiration to us all.

take care and enjoy the white stuff we are now melting away here in northants