myaimistrue

I had an emotional "Wow" moment yesterday.

As I'm sure most of you can attest, if I had any money in my wallet pre-op, it usually went into my stomach if you get my drift. Any and all cash I had was a means to eat something. Cash was better than using credit cards for me, because when I looked at my statement I didn't see "McDonald's, Shanghai Kitchen, Los Tacos, McDonald's, McDonald's". I saw "withdrawal $60, withdrawal $40". To me, it was as if I payed in cash, the food didn't exist after I ate it, and I didn't have to deal with it.

Ever since my surgery (4 weeks out now), I have spent much less money on anything, much less food. I didn't even realize it till yesterday, but I hadn't visited an ATM since before the surgery. I looked into my wallet and realized that I still had a $5 bill from pre-op.

I thought about it and what it meant. It meant that I for a whole month I haden't spent that $5 on food. It meant that i didn't replace it time and time again with hundreds of dollars representing thousands upon thousands of calories. It really gave me pause.

I decided something then and there. I will never in my life spend this $5 bill. Never. Not on food, not on clothing, not on anything. This $5 bill survived the old me, just like i did. It will stay with me for the rest of my life, just like I will (strange sentence I know). It will represent the change that I have made and will continue to stay committed to all the rest of my days.

And thank God, because now I've got a whole lot more of those days to look forward to. I haven't yet decided whether or not to keep it in my wallet as a constant reminder of my success, or whether or not to frame it. I'm worried that if it stays in my a wallet that I might get absent minded one day and spend it.

Anyone else keep little anchors around to ground yourself?

__________________
RNY Gastric Bypass on 6/27/08

386/286/200?

My weight begins with a "2". That's cool.
100 lbs. Lost in almost exactly 3 months.

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rachalrg

__________________
Rachal AKA Haystack
day of surgery/current/goal
320/282/170
Surgery Date: August 28, 2008

www.myspace.com/rachalrg

Tambo

Frame it with a before and after picture. In the years to come it will be great inspiration.

__________________
Tambo

DOS 3/28/08 Lap RNY

289/150
DOS/Goal



Keep smiling it makes everyone wonder what you've been up to!!

rappaport

What a great wow moment!

agodewey

I too have not had my surgery, but I found your story inspiring. I hope that it will be the same for me. I have to admit, before I was dieting with the idea of WLS in my future, I was a fast food junkie as well. Good luck and keep up the good work!

__________________
Big Jon

Highest/Pre-Op/Current/Goal/

502/365/330/185

7/30/08 - Request goes to ins. co.(done)
8/4/08 - 1st use of my scale at home (done)
8/14/08 - Surgery Approved (done)
9/4/08 - Surgeon Pre-OP (done)
9/10/08 - Anesthesiology Pre-Op (done)
9/19/08 - Surgery 11:30 a.m.-6:30p.m.PDT (done)

"If we always look back, we will never see where we are going and we will probably trip along the way."



Scale Whore # 29

soon2bthin

simply awesome!!!!

__________________
Cassie

Preop/Current/Goal
252 / 147 / 137

Lap RNY 07/30/2007

Gall Bladder Removal 12/28/2007

Toony

That is a great observation... CONGRATS for processing the whole thing through your head and sharing it with us... I like the idea of framing it with a before and after photo of you and hanging it in a place of honor!

katie

__________________
W.I.M.P.
TOONYbear
Lucky Duck Sack Club Member No. 7
Gobble-Gobble!
http://ktoon.blogspot.com/ <---email or PM me for access
Lap RNY: FAT TUESDAY! 02/05/08

trish29

Nice post. Its funny how only "those of us who have been there" understand what you are saying. I don't think others could understand that thought process of paying with cash so its like it never happened. Not only would I pay in cash, I would eat in the car and throw away the evidence at the next gas station...like it never happened. I've gotten better at that, but I can't wait to look at food differently (or NOT at all, lol).

Again, thanks for posting, very inspirational.

__________________

10/20/08 - SURGERY
DOS - 250
Day 7 - 244
Day 16 - 236
Day 30 - 227


High/DOS/Current/Goal
266/250/223/???

Month 1: 23 lbs lost

**Webster and I are gonna make it!!**

My personal story:
http://www.thinnertimesforum.com/per...-good-one.html

JumboJulie

Holy Crap, that's a GREAT story!
I can't even explain how I have the warm 'n fuzzies right now just from reading it! I am so incredibly happy for you

I totally agree about framing it with a before and after photo after you get to the weight your body wants you to be at.
But for now ... get it OUT of your wallet, and put it somewhere special in your home where it's safe and won't be accidentally spent. That $5 bill CANNOT be replaced, it just wouldn't be the same!

Wow ... so friggin' AWESOME!!!!

__________________
OPEN RNY: 03/06/08
OPEN HERNIORRHAPHY: 09/18/08
OPEN SURGERY FOR STAPH MRSA REMOVAL: 10/04/08

AND MY GUTS ARE STILL OPEN!!!

myaimistrue

Thanks for all the wonderful wishes everyone. I just thought I'd share. As for framing it with a before and after picture, I'm not sure if that's really my style. I've actually thought about this stuff alot. I don't think that I'm going to be the kind of person that really looks a lot at "before and after" pictures. I was bagging some of my bigger pants to donate and my wife said that I should save one pair of the big pants to do a "hey look at me i'm a skinny guy posing in my fat guy pants" pictures. I really wasn't all that interested, but she made me keep one pair.

I think it's going to be more my style just to frame the bill by itself. That way it's a bit more subtle and It's more of a personal thing for me.

__________________
RNY Gastric Bypass on 6/27/08

386/286/200?

My weight begins with a "2". That's cool.
100 lbs. Lost in almost exactly 3 months.

Yes We Can

My Aim Is Truth - My Blog
Free Obama Campaign Button