Time Flies

Hard to believe it's been so long since I've posted. I was thinking about it the other day. I'm always thinking of posting on here or reminding myself to remember to post something I think is profound or would be worthwhile to others with interest in obesity or weight loss. But then I get side-tracked and it slips my mind.

I think that's what happens to most of us.

I remember a couple of years ago -- shortly after my first post-op anniversary -- that a similar subject came up with a WLS friend of mine. I had recently returned from a conference and was relaying to her how many surgeons and bariatric coordinators complained that attendance at support groups and bariatric events drastically dwindled after the first post-op year. Docs were looking for answers as to how to retain their patients' interests.

The consensus at the time was that as pre-ops, patients will jump through any hoop necessary to get doctor and insurance approval. But once they go under the knife, they become less compliant. After all, it's not like anyone can take your surgery away after the fact, right?

My friend, however, posed another explanation. She had missed her support group's last three monthly meetings at the time. Her reason? "I'm too busy living life," she said.

Hmmm...

She went on to explain: "I worked too hard in having surgery and losing weight to live my entire life according to support group schedules. I am making the most out of my new life, and if that means I can't sit through two hours at a support meeting because I'm in Shasta or Disneyland or on a cruise with my husband, then so be it. I refuse to apologize for that."

Interesting...

At the time, I thought, "good for her." She was out living life. I didn't feel like I was sitting on the sidelines, but I did make a concerted effort to organize my playtime around support group meetings and events whenever possible. Then again, I was leading a WLS support group, writing on the subject of WLS regularly in print and online and dipping my toes into the waters of private consulting. I was eating, sleeping and breathing the world of surgical weight loss.

Then another year passed and I got knocked on my backside with a bowel obstruction. The months between my second and third WLS anniversaries trickled by at an unbearably slow pace as I struggled to regain my health and vitality. It wasn't until March of this year that I started to feel some resemblance to the upbeat ball of energy I had been in my first post-op year.

Since then, life has been too good to stand. And like my friend, I'm so busy living it that there doesn't seem to be much time left over to sit down and document it. All I can say is that it's an amazing adventure -- and given the choice, I'd do it all over again.

What's left to do

Yesterday, I posted a list of my accomplishments since having gastric-bypass surgery two years ago. The list is full of activities and "a-ha" moments of which I never previously thought were possible. But there are still things I want to do that I've yet to accomplish.

And here is a list of those things:

* Set foot on a boat -- I'm not promising to stay on the boat, but I'm willing to walk on it.

* Take a cruise -- Ships are different than boats. They are big enough so I can pretend I'm not surrounded by water. My hope is to take a short cruise in 2008.

* Go rock climbing -- I have wanted to try rock climbing since I was in college, but I've never had the courage.

* Ride on a motorcycle -- Sigh...if I could arrange it so Jesse James was the driver, it would be even better.

* Learn to swim -- I'm not a fan of water. Therefore, swimming has never really appealed to me, but I think it's something I should learn.

* Publish a book -- I'd like to find a publishing house willing to pay me to write a bariatric-related book.

* Be a guest on Oprah -- I think I have an inspiring story to tell. Sure, Oprah is a stretch. But hey, isn't that what goal-setting is all about?