I need to start blogging again, why I haven’t been is irrelevant at this point, well not completely, but it is stuff I need to put behind me and get back to what I need to do. Shelly over at The World According to Eggface as usual found a way to motivate me without even realizing it! Another super snazzy give away and an extra chance to win if I blog about her contest, amazing that is all it took to get me to write here again eh?

I’m a big Fan of Celebrate Vitamins, and since it is all stuff I use anyways, getting a free package of vitamins could be a little extra money in the savings account towards the skin surgery I’m looking at come the first part of next year, hey every little bit helps. I’ve linked to Shelly’s site for ages, if you ask me she is hands down on of the most inspirational bloggers in the WLS community online. And she actually responds to stuff you write to her and say to her which is more than I can say for a lot of WLS Bloggers and Community “Leaders” I won’t mention by name.

So rather than talking about why I haven’t been posting, which I am sure I will at some point or another I just need to be in the right mood and the right frame of mind.  So, first we’re going to start back with the basics, today the basics are … head over to The World According to Eggface and enter Shelly’s Celebrate Vitamin give away contest!

As for where I am and how I am doing, I’m currently at 201lbs and trying to chase that infamous “Onderland” before my 12 month anniversary on October 19th – that’s my next goal. I met with the skin removal surgeon back in July and will see him again in January to reassess where I am and see where we think I need to be before we progress with body reconstruction surgery.  How I’m going to finance all that is absolutely beyond comprehension right now, and a huge stress factor in my life.

To add insult to injury I am still struggling to quit smoking again. I quite for 6 months prior to surgery and three months after, but my life since January has been one knockdown after another and having loss food as a coping mechanism I picked those cigarettes back up in a jiffy and now, it’s even harder to quit because I don’t have Chantix on my side.  For those wondering why, let me just say that taking Chantix after Gastric Bypass, was for me, worse than dumping syndrome. It caused me excruciating pain and discomfort and nausea for about 45 minutes after taking it, made me feel horrible and didn’t seem to work AT ALL. I’ve tried the patch, can’t chew gum, and yet again I have to quit to be eligible for both the skin removal surgery and the dental implant surgery that I want to get done…  the term “FML” comes to mind though I will be PC and not actually say it aloud, or in text.

I’m exercising. I’m still addicted to it, though I’ve had a lot of time “Off” dealing with what life has handed me in the last 10 months. For those that don’t know my Father had a stroke in January just a couple months after my surgery, and he was a HUGE, HUGE part of my reasons for deciding to change my life. I spent 3 months in California from January to March, with very little time in the Gym as I dealt with personal family issues and tried to make sure that what time my Father had left was the best I could make it. That time off, and all the changes going on in my life, sort of messed with my head a bit, I’ve got a lot to share with you are as far as co-addiction, addiction transferal and a lot to share with you about this overwhelming feeling of failure I experienced when my Father passed away before I could reach my goal weight, but that’s all for another time, when I can write about it all with the detail it deserves and not feel like I’m opening fresh wounds too early.

I plan on updating the Timeline and Weight Track Monitor in the next couple of days, and you all should see some more regular posts from me again.  I’ve got some other great stuff to tell you all about, but a little at a time to start so this doesn’t end up triggering me into an emotional roller coaster I’m not ready for.

Thanks Shelly, for getting me to write again, sometimes a little inspiration and an internet muse is all it takes, wish you lived closer, I’d love to take you out for a skinny latte!