This and that and deep friend turkey

Hey, y'all...I posted recently about two good friends who have moms with serious health issues. One is hanging on, the other is doing worse...she has breast cancer, and they recently found out that the cancer has spread to the breastbone, the neck, and there is a tumor in the other breast. She's starting weekly chemo for the next five months on Wednesday...my friend, who is not religious, has asked that I keep her mom in my thoughts, and I thought I would try to pass that on...if you pray or not, please keep Peggy in your thoughts, and send her some positive vibrations. She is only 58 years old, has four kids, and her husband, my friend's dad, had colon cancer this spring...

In other news, I had my one year anniversary with my boyfriend this weekend. While I spent some time with my friend this weekend, we did go out for a very romantic (we call it schmoopy) evening on Saturday night, recreating our first date. I made him a scrap box (he doesn't like albums) which is a box filled with pictures and mementos of our year together, along with some cheesy notes and cards and entries from my diary. He is so special, supportive, and amazing. He's the reason I considered weight loss surgery, partially because he has done it himself, and I saw first hand the difference it makes. Another reason is that for the first time in my life I am with someone that I see spending my life with and having babies with, and to do that I have to be healthier. I don't want to have found the love of my life, just to miss years of it due to illness or early death. There are enough uncontrollable dangers in the world (see above) that I have to do whatever it takes to limit the ones I can control. Ok, I think that is enough schmoop!

Smoking - Today is my last day to smoke. I had three cigarettes at a party yesterday, wheezed all night, and felt gross this morning. I think I am done. Even though I am "allowed" to smoke today, I am perfectly ok not smoking. I will not smoke the next four weeks leading up to surgery, I will not smoke for at least four weeks after, and if I possibly smoke in the future after that, I think it will be a VERY rare occasion - I like the act, but I HATE the way I feel after. I didn't feel like this when I smoked a pack a day! I is weird to me how much more sensitive I am to the effects and the smell when I smoke so much less...

This Thursday is my last Thanksgiving without a band. I was thinking it would be a huge deal, and purposely scheduled my surgery a month later so I would not be pre-op or post-op. Now that everything is getting closer -Thanksgiving and December 22, surgery date - I am less concerned about my last Thanksgiving without a band - so what? This is going to be my last Thanksgiving where my clothes are all from a plus sized store. This is going to be the last Thanksgiving that I don't do the Turkey Trot - a five mile run my dad likes to do on Thanksgiving morning - because I am too fat and out of shape. This is the last Thanksgiving my knees and lower back hurt because I've been on my feet cooking and carrying 280 lbs...These are good things!

Thanksgiving is a huge deal in my family, and I am the head chef...I boss my parents around, and we all have a ton of fun. It is never stressful or angsty, just foodie and a little drunky, and happy. That doesn't have to change, just because I will be eating smaller portions of food! My mom said something funny last year, she said "I think this is how people feel about Xmas, just without the stress and expense of presents!" (We are Jewish, so we don't do Xmas!) Anyway, we will be having deep friend turkey! A remnant of my time living in New Orleans. It is actually pretty low fat, and keeps the turkey super juicy, so easier for bandsters to eat!

If I don't post till then, have a great THANKSGIVING! And I am quite thankful for having found a wonderful source of information and support from all of you.

xx,
Yana