Expired

Just yesterday, for seemingly no reason, I thought about a friend with whom I had lost touch 

Oh,  We weren’t what you would call close friends but we did enjoy being together, sharing our stories over lunch once in a while. She was an artist and a therapist. I’m not sure where the lines crossed. She had the traits of both and a deep spiritually that I so admired.  A traveler, a continuing student of life. 

 I thought about her and silently promised that I would soon send an email, letting her know that despite the gap, I still thought about her and wanted to see her. 

One of her charming watercolors, Highland Light in Truro, hung until recently, in our guest bathroom . We repainted that room earlier this month, sending the artwork to the basement until further notice.  Over the years, Nicki and I  joked about how that little treasure allowed me to think of her every morning so she should not have felt badly about its place in a bathroom. I have to think back to when we started the painting project but this morning, in a state of shock as I discovered her obituary in the local newspaper I think she and the little artwork display may have simultaneously expired.

https://www.capecodtimes.com/obituaries/20200216/nicki-rae-white-palmer-74

 A gal with a great sense of humor, Nicki would have thought this funny.  Rest in peace

Bariatric Rewind

I am approaching another "anniversary".  Yes, in three weeks, I will be celebrating three years since my sleeve surgery.  I know, where did that time go?  I know where and I also find it hard to believe that so much time has passed.  Every day has been blessed and every challenge has been a gift.  And, yes, there have been challenges, both within my body and within my personal world, but they have been part of what and who I am today.  I am stronger and more committed to life than I have ever been and still raring to go.  I'm a gal with a plan.....plans. In a few weeks, I will joyfully write about my own take on being seventy two and having met those challenges, but for now, I am catching up with myself and maybe, maybe, if this gets read by someone who really needs my advice, I am doing a good deed.

Let me begin by saying that there was so much information dealt out by the Bariatric Team during the pre-op months.  Made my head spin. Scared the beejeezus out of me most of the time.  I have a hard time remembering so much of it.  During and after the surgery, the surgeon is rarely seen or heard from.  I think I actually only had two office visits with the man.  But, it was his words that burned a hole in my brain when he told me that he fully "expected" a weight gain of ten pounds.  So, just when I met that expectation and found myself heading back up the slippery slope, a gem arrived in my mail.  My program produces a periodic newsletter.  I love newsletters. They oftentimes bring news!  Page Two.  Announcement.  "Get Back on Track" program.  I called them up.  The morning of February third.  By two o'clock, I was at the office and meeting with a highly skilled nutritionist, the same wonderful woman with whom I met for my last pre-op info session.  And, on that glorious day, I was reminded, with words and visuals (she has lots of empty food containers on a display table), of what it was I used to stock my shelves with.  Vitamins?  OMG!  I cleared my kitchen counter before leaving for Italy and forgot to pack them.  Came home, and totally disregarded the need.

CAN'T DO THAT!!!

Deficiency in Vitamin B12 is one of the greatest threats to Bariatric surgery patients.  It, along with a host of other micronutrients, is not produced by the body in sufficient quantity due to the removal of such a huge portion of the stomach. Therefore, supplements are vital. Protein deficiencies are also common in this group and it's hard to get enough in before feeling very, very full.

Getting back "on track" means stocking up grocery shelves, filling the refrigerator, drinking gallons of water and walking, walking, walking.  Pepping up all the steps.  Reading, writing and arithmetic.


Paying attention to details is a full-time job.  New purpose to my life.  A great shot in the arm in the middle of Winter.  But, a few days into this, and I have renewed my outlook on life.  I'm hooked on a  new food-guy, blissfully watching YouTube after YouTube as I get inspired and stoked by Bobby Parrish and his flavcity.com.  He's totally amazing and for anyone who is seeking a better path to good health, Bobby is the one to watch.

It's a new day.  Still early.  I'm going to prepare a "Bobby Appproved" breakfast now.