My Sojourn with Health

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Changes ......

So the weirdness has begun! I mean that of course in only the best way. Life after the removal of thirty excess pounds of skin is very odd. Everyday I experience and / or observe something new, different and often strange. Some things that perhaps we never give any thought to are now daily in my awareness. Have you ever thought about how you stand at the sink in the kitchen? Or while you brush your teeth? When was the last time you thought about how you “move” in the world? How you stand, sit, walk? How much of what you do is “automatic” or habit? These are all things I am discovering at a rapid rate It seems silly but so much of what we do really takes no actual brain activity, as I am realizing I keep doing things that I don’t have to do any longer. One silly example is the whole bellybutton thing…..
So when do you clean out your belly button? Perhaps like me you do it as a part of your daily shower or bath routine, seems logical right….. Well what if you no longer have a belly button? It has been a couple months and I still find myself searching for my damn belly button to wash it out…. HELLO, it’s gone! (FYI- I took a break and showered before posting this and guess what?…… No really guess….That’s right even after having just written about it…. I went looking for my Bellybutton! Oy Vey!) There are several things that I do based on years of carrying that extra weight and bulk that I wonder how long it will take before I stop doing them and create new habits and rituals. The one thing I hope I never do is take for granted how blessed I am on so many levels, including getting to experience my body and physical earthly existence in a whole new way after almost fifty years. I can not wait for the next fifty; it is like being born again! Can I get an AMEN! LOL
O.K. Some of you will think the rest of this is crazy so just stop here! BUT, many of you have asked about this so I am going to do my best to explain something. I have been getting asked a lot since my surgery is “What does it feel like?” This is a hard one because there are several sensations that I have been experiencing at different times, however I will try to explain the main overriding feeling that is fairly consistent. O.K. Since I can not figure out the words to express this I have come up with a little demonstration you can do on yourselves. Come on …. No One is looking, just do it…… First straighten your arm out, now you know that part on the inside of your arm where it bends? The super fragile, softer then the rest of the skin part…. OK… Now take either two fingers or maybe your thumb and index finger and place them together in the middle of that spot on your arm…. OK Now with some pressure pull them apart as if you were trying to stretch that skin, THAT is what it feels like along my scar. That’s the best I can do….. I hope it helps those who were curious. LOL O.K. that is it for now….. Back to the Gym next week!
I am excited to get back in the water and see how things have change with my exercise abilities….. I will let ya all know! Thanks for all the support and encouragement, keep the feed back coming.
With great Love & Appreciation, Kathryn