5 Feet

When I took my two week measurements this week, I was thrilled to note that I had lost 59.25 inches! My husband thinks I should say it this way: I've lost almost 5 FEET. 59 inches is impressive - but almost 5 feet sounds like a whole lot more! (I don't think I've said this, but I've lost 62.6 pounds since surgery, 71.4 pounds since two weeks prior to surgery, and a whopping 122.4 pounds from my biggest!)

Words are very important - and how we say things can really make a difference. For example, there is very little difference in the literal meaning of these two phrases: "Your beauty makes time stand still" and "Your face could stop a clock." But there is a great deal of difference in how a person would react to each of those being said to him or her. Words can be like a present - wrapped in silver paper and tied with a bow - or they can be something that rips your heart, and leaves you wounded.

Fortunately - almost everyone has been kind and encouraging with the words they use as I walk this journey. There have been lots of questions...which I try to answer honestly. There has been lots of cheering and praising - which warms my heart. But I have to be honest, there has been some criticism and some negative things, too. Some people truly feel that I have taken the "easy" way out - that if I were strong enough - I shouldn't have needed the surgery to bring about the change. Well, obviously, I wasn't doing this on my own. This choice was not an easy one for me - and it has not always been an easy journey. To those people I can only say, "I did what I had to do for me. If you can do it without the surgery, and honestly, I hope you can, then I wish you all the best."

So - to everyone who has cheered, and encouraged, and praised, and loved me through this - I thank you! You've kept me going when I might otherwise have given up. But don't stop now - I still need you - more than you'll ever know!!!