My Cousin...My Inspiration!!

This is my Cousin Lisa!  Lisa underwent Gastric Bypass Surgery on Halloween 2011.  Lisa is 5'6" and started out weighing 321 lbs. 

Another photo of Lisa.

And this is Lisa now....weighing 130 lbs less, in just under a year after Surgery!!  Lisa, I only hope that I do as well as you did!!














Hey Ya'll,

So as you can see from the photos above, I have a Cousin that has had the Gastric Bypass, and has done very well with it.  But she isn't the only one in the family to have had the Bypass.  Lisa's Mom Nancy, also had it done in 1985!  Nancy reached her goal weight, and was an inspiration to us both to do well!

Lisa, I wish that we lived closer to each other!!!  I could really use someone to help me through the upcoming Surgery, and the most difficult period....the first few weeks and months.  Walt will be here for me of course, but talking with someone that I know that has gone through it, is different!  And I know that you will be here for any and all questions online, but it would definitely be easier if you were right here! LOL

And now for those of you that want to continue to read on, I will tell you Part One of my New England Vacation story to see my Friend Kelly.  And I need to warn you, it is pretty long....But with me what else is new??  LOL  So, the day of my departure started out sooo well!!  LOL  If only it lasted all day!  My flight was supposed to depart at 12:30 pm PST, and arrive in Boston at 10:45 pm EST.  But when I arrived at the Airport to check in, I found out that my flight was going to be delayed for 2 hours!  Which meant that I would miss my connecting flight in Chicago!!

The reason for the delay, was because the plane from Chicago was having a Mechanical problem, and had to be repaired.  And to top it off, once the plane did arrive (3 hours late!), they had to do a super fast turn around, as the flight crew was making a turn around flight, and they only had so long before they had to be back up in the air to avoid a mandatory overnight stay!  So we were boarded very quickly!

Then of course, we were then 3 hours late to Chicago.  Luckily, I thought to pick up a Cheeseburger from McDonald's in the Terminal in Chicago....I'll explain why later.  So all of us from the original flight, were obviously placed on different flights to our final destinations.  Which put me in Boston at about 1:30 am....instead of 10:45 pm.

And we were the last flight to land and park at the Terminal we were directed to.  I only know this because....the Terminal was empty!  Of course I didn't know this yet, because I had to wait for my Walker to be brought up from the Cargo area of the plane (and let me tell you, I waited so long that all of the passengers were off, and the flight crew was leaving).  Luckily for me, the flight attendant that was in charge of the First Class (of which I was in, thanks to Walt), wouldn't leave me until my Walker was brought up so that I wasn't alone there!

Once my Walker was brought up, he helped me to open it up and put my "stuff" on it, then he walked with me up into the Terminal.  But since I had needed to use the restroom before the plane landed, not to mention the extra long wait for my Walker, I couldn't go any further without using the restroom inside of the Terminal!!  When I walked out of it on my way to pick up my Luggage, I realized that the Terminal was empty!!  Empty except for the Security Guard that asked me if I was the last person in the restroom so he could clear the Terminal.

So I walked as fast as I could which isn't very fast...to the luggage carousel, and they were already getting ready to take my luggage to be locked up in the uncollected luggage place.  I quickly said....wait!!  That one is mine!!  So after proving it was mine, he gave it to me.  So here I am, pushing a Walker with the seat loaded down with my Tablet, Kindle DX, GPS, Camera, Pee Che with all my paperwork in it, my Purse, etc, etc, etc. and trying to pull the large piece of Luggage!

So a Porter came running up, and started to put my luggage on his cart.  I tried to tell him that I could do it.  I didn't want to have to dig out a tip, not that I was too cheap, I just didn't want to have to dig into my purse, I just wanted to get to my rental car and drive to my final destination that night, and I was really tired!!  He refused to take no for an answer though, so I told him which Car Rental company I was going to, and he took me to the place to wait for the Shuttle to arrive.

Now remember, I had been up since about 7 am (PST) and it was now 2 am (EST) (16 hours).  I was very tired, but I didn't let that make me a Jerk!  The Car Rental Shuttle arrived and picked me up.  The guy was really sweet and refused to let me pick up anything to place in the Shuttle.  He even put my Walker in for me.  At the next stop for pickups, this couple was there as well as a group of girls, and the first thing the husband said was...."Do you know how long we have been waiting??".  And of course he was practically screaming, and screaming it over and over!  The Shuttle driver tried to explain to him that the last customer that he had picked up and taken to the rental place, had Bone Cancer, and was in extreme pain, so he tried to drive slowly and carefully, trying to make the ride smoother.  But the JERK wouldn't hear it!!

Once we arrived at the Rental place, I let the Jerk and his wife, and the group of girls get off first.  The driver didn't even try to help them to exit.  And I am glad, as they didn't deserve it.  But once they were off, he got out of his seat and quietly placed my stuff out onto the sidewalk.  I told him that he shouldn't let that Jerk ruin his night!  Then I gave him a good tip.

So, by the time I waited for my turn to finish the Rental checkout and get on the road, it was 3 am!!  And I didn't see a single place to pick up a soda or burger anywhere.  Luckily....I had the burger from McDonald's (remember it?).  And I had also got a soda from McDonald's at Chicago, and I had asked the flight attendant to fill it up with a fresh diet coke with ice for me before we landed in Boston.  So I had my drink, and an ice cold, practically dried out burger.  But it was better than nothing!

Now remember this, I have never driven on the East Coast.  Luckily Walt bought me a GPS to take with me.  But even with it, I was afraid that I wouldn't get out of Boston before the town came alive and I wasn't the only one on the streets!

Oh, I forgot to mention that they had had a major Thunderstorm that night, and it was still raining while I was trying to get out of Boston, so I couldn't see all of the street markings very well.  And the GPS gave me probably the worst way out of town.  Oh, and did I forget to say that not only was it 3 am when I drove off the rental lot, but I also had to drive to Keene, NH??  So I was trying to follow the GPS, I didn't have it set right, and I could barely hear the directions.  So I was trying to find someplace to pull over, so that I could increase the GPS sound.  Which was easy, if you knew how to use it!!  But I didn't, so I had to stop in order to figure it out! 

But I couldn't find anyplace to pull over "legally"....The route it gave me, had me driving through town, and all of the streets said "No Parking"....Finally, when I was on a street that had some homes on it.  I found a sign that said "no parking, unless a resident, or you had handicapped plates".  Well, I have a handicap placard.  So I pulled over, plopped my placard on the rear view mirror, and fixed my GPS.  So, once I could actually hear it, I was able to drive better, since I didn't have to look at it all the time to make sure that I didn't miss a turn.

I was just praying that I would actually get out of Boston before the people started to drive into town to work!  Which I did!  But I still had the drive into New Hampshire.  And I couldn't believe the roads there.  I am from the West Coast, where a Freeway or Highway is usually a 3-4 lane major road at least.  But these Highways were mostly 2 lanes, and periodically I came to a roundabout, or stop light, or stop sign!!  Oh, (and I promise that this will be the last "oh" in this post), did I mention that the speed limit kept changing from 35-55 mph?  So I finally I made it to Keene, and the sun was starting to come up, it was 5:15 am....

So I checked into the Hotel, and was told that I was lucky, they had had a 6 hr power outage because of the storm that went through that night!!  But the power was back on!  And they had just put out the Breakfast fare (which was included), and generally was supposed to start at 6 am.  But they knew that I was delayed the 3 hours, putting me there so late, as I had called to advise them of my delay that morning as soon as I knew I would be arriving so late.  So they said...Hey!  The Breakfast is already out, go ahead and eat!  So I took my stuff to my room, went back and filled myself a plate of fresh hot food, and took it back to my room to eat!!

So, now that I have bored probably bored you to tears with my vacation woes...till next time....

Aloha My Friends :)