Just Hold My Hand
Support
A lot of things come to mind during the holidays. Sadly, not all of them are positive or hopeful. So, despite my best efforts, I have been pretty crestfallen over the course of the last several weeks. Maybe it’s because I’ve been worried about money, or maybe it’s because of my relentless shin splints…I’m not sure. But, when it comes right down to it, most of my funk is directly attributable to a misguided desire to “just do whatever I want to do…” — but can’t!
So, what does any of this have to do with support? Well, as nearly as I can tell, when I’m feeling lower than a snake’s belly because I can’t do something I want to do (but really, really, really think I SHOULD be able to do), I can always count on the support of FRIENDS; those people who will enter the lions’ den with me, walk through the fire, weather the storms, indulge my endless chatter and prattle, or just hold my hand and tell me it’ll all be okay.
Who are these mysterious (and brave) people?
Well, first and foremost are my “offline” friends — Juan (wonderful hubby), Hannah (amazing daughter), Jan (BFF), and all of you guys from Thursday night support group (too many of you to name, but you know who you are).
Then, there’s my online friends, like MelsReturn (recoveringfatty), T2Nashville, Paula, Paintlady, LadyK, and Melaska (among others), plus my buddy Allie (Protein Girl from PimpMyProteinShake), Toni, Lynnda, and BigMickey over at BariatricTV.com (for putting the “Freak” in Surgically Altered Freaks), Diane (an inspirational friend from fittothefinish), and a ton of other people who take the time to drop by the site and sprinkle supportive comments about my postings.
Next, are the “professional supporters”, like Jim, (alternately cheerleader, coach, collaborator, agent and therapist), Dr. Chris (total spiritual and physical wellness practioner who is working hard to get me and my legs back on the hiking and biking trails of the world), Dr. Katzen (my gifted and compassionate plastic surgeon who has promised to get me over the next “bumps with my bumps”), Dr. Diane LeMont (fearless “fat club” leader who somehow manages to make it look easy), and Michele and Aisha (those “smart girls” from Memorial Center for Obesity who always have an open door policy for this extremely “Chatty Cathy.”)
Then there are a host of other people who just seem to appear in my life when I need them the most — like my nutritionist, Becky (from LB Memorial who writes me encouraging little notes on Facebook, reads my lab results — even on the weekend — and makes it possible for me to talk to a bunch of RDs about the realities of the bariatric “after life”), my friend Mark (who turns me on to amazing products from Jarrow and always has an kind and supportive word for me), Mike (dated for 3 months; been friends for 30 years, will love forever), plus Dave, Michele and Keith (my bariatric buddies who just “get it”) and a bevy of other people whom I am remiss in mentioning, but not in remembering!
I’ve said it a million times: the bariatric “after life” is a battlefield, and each day that I survive is nothing short of a victory! Oh, some days, I get pretty banged up and barely manage to drag my battered body and spirit to bed. But other days — and there are many more of these — I feel pretty bulletproof, thanks to extraordinarily undeserved love and support of my friends (offline, online, professional and otherwise!)
I guess what I’m trying to say is, no one is alone who has a “friend” and there is no shame in leaning on others for strength.
Would this post have been more aptly titled “THANKS”? Perhaps. But for now, I think I’ll let it stand as titled.
If friends are chicken soup for the soul. then my bowl is overflowing.
Thank you all for your unending, bottomless, timeless, limitless and eternal support.
Tags: after life, bariatric surgery, Before and After, gastric bypass, introspection, Living a Healthy Life after Weight Loss, Motivational Musings, self assessment, self awareness, WLS After Life, WLS Mentor, WLS Motivation
