The fences are in your head.

"The fences are in your head" Chicken Run

I like this saying from the movie “Chicken Run”. It puts a visual in my mind of what becomes my stumbling block sometimes is mostly in my mind. I can use any situation as a growing point if I look at it that way. The last few weeks I’ve been getting frustrated over some things I really have little control of. I have a new friend that said to me, “Something that helps me when I'm struggling is remembering that my time is not the same as God's time. When I think I should be further along on something than I am, I just have to step back and remember that I'm working on God's timing, not my own.” Then my friend Ronda said some thing to me last week about looking at where I’ve come from. It really isn’t any little feat! So this week I am focusing on the blessings and not the frustrations.

This week has been a good week. I have started to log my food intake and I think that has helped me stay on mark. I’ve had a day or two that was tough, but over all I have been feeling good. There are a few things I would really like to eat, but means I am being more conscious of what I am eating I have left those things alone. We had my great nephew’s 1st birthday celebration. I would have loved to sink my teeth into a piece of the Baskin Robbins ice cream cake, but I stood strong and declined. Instead I went for some fresh fruit. Sure was good! I splurged on the protein (hot dog in a bun).

I am still struggling with an ear infection. The outer ear infection has cleared up, but the inner ear was still swollen last week. Anyway, I am at least able to hear out of it now. Albeit everything I hear is muffled, has a tin sounding echo and a ring. I am going on 3 weeks with this. I can at least hear the 911 phone now at work and the officers are louder with the volume back to normal. I hope it clears up this week. I have an appointment with a specialist on the 22nd, so if it doesn’t we will see if there is damage or anything her can do for me. I’m just thankful I can do my complete job now. I think some of this frustration has contributed to my frustration with the weight/eating, etc.

This week was also my year check up with Dr Hachem (my surgeon). He was very happy with my progress. I saw him 3 months ago. I was frustrated with the fact I only lost 5.8 pounds in 3 months. He said a lot of times at the 1 year mark patients gain between the 9 month and 1 year appointment, so he was happy with the loss. He said he could visually tell a difference in my body in 3 months. I obviously have gained muscle and have slimmed down. So he was very happy with everything. I asked where he wanted me when I see him in 6 months. He said it was hard to put a number on because things would slow down now. He gave me a goal of losing 20 pounds. It is a great challenge considering I only lost 5 in 3 months, but we are going to shoot for it! It seems like I made it to under 200 pounds and have struggled to the next self-set goal of losing 100 pounds, but I did make it. So I will just keep plugging along. As Ronda said, “Just keep on doing what you’re doing. Keep your eye on the goal!!!!!” Thank you Ronda, you are a great support!

Speaking of support, I have found my support group meetings the 2nd Tuesday of the month in Junction City help keep me going. There is always good information from the speaker and from the members of the group. This journey is not something you can do alone. If there is anyone out there that is trying to do this new lifestyle on your own, find some support. It makes it easier. For those of you that are not part of this specific journey, you still need supportive people in your life to live, so reach out. God will always be your best support, but I know I need human beings in my life to support me and allow me to be a support to them. You get what you give in life.

Next week will mark the 1 year mark for me. My surgery was July 21, 2008. It has been the best year in a long time. The blessings have been unreal. God has brought people and situations into my life I can never fully understand and explain. His love is abundant and it is that love I must rely on to walk this journey. Next week I will go over some of my goals and accomplishments in the last year. I guess it will be a reminiscing update.

Just remember the fences are in your head. Jump over them. Crawl over them. Dig under them. Remove them. Whatever it takes to keep progressing!



"To love and be loved
is to feel the sun from both sides."
~David Viscott~