Winter Home

Hey Guys! We're here! I'm sorry it's taken so long to post but the Wifi here at the park isn't on yet. (Should be by the 20th!)  When you're borrowing in on someone else's you don't want to be a hog! ;)

Ok, so let's grab a water, coffee, tea or cocktail and catch up! At the beginning of the month we were just getting into Vegas.  That was a great time.  The Rodan + Fields convention was UNBELIEVABLE!  Seriously! The Garden Arena that MGM uses for concerts was PACKED! 15,000 consultants in attendance and thousands more virtually! This business is rocking!  One of the very best parts? Between the consultants and the Doctors' matching funds we raised $1.2 million for The Build On Foundation to help America's students in need learn how to help themselves and their communities.  These kids were fantastic!
They also revealed their new last product which I am super excited about so that was fun!  I had a super room mate so couldn't have asked for a better gal to pal around with the whole time!

Jay and the dogs stayed at the Sam's Town KOA.  It was a nice campground and he won back all that I lost on the strip at their little casino so we broke even. :)  He was happy to see me come back after being gone for 5 days.  He said it just wasn't the same without me! How sweet is that?  I got back to the site about midnight on Saturday or Sunday morning depending on how you look at it.  We were scheduled to leave that morning.  We both woke up thinking that wasn't a very good plan.  I made some coffee and walked up to the office to see if I could book another night...nope, they were full up.  Ok, guess that means we were meant to move on.  We decided just to pack up and head toward La Paz and see how we were feeling.  We weren't expected until Wednesday so we could stop if we felt like it.  Well, we ended up just driving right into Quartzsite!  As we were coming into town we saw the sign for Split Rail ( a sister park to La Paz) so we stopped to see if Mel and Anne (the managers there) had room for us.

We hadn't called to tell them we were coming so we weren't sure if we were going to be a burden but they were just the sweetest people ever!  They put us up in a site and we were able to start training with them on the computer and what our responsibilities were going to be.  I even got to do some much needed laundry!  They were super generous hosts and introduced us to our neighbor park managers (also owned by the same people) over at Burrwood, Cindy and Dick.  It's nice to put faces to names so we were glad to meet them and pick their brains as well.  But on to the main event! I know you want to hear about home base!

The town itself is small, but neat.  You can definitely tell you have landed in RV country!  To get to La Paz you come through town and head south on 95.  Drive about 5.5 miles south and you'll see a green sign that reads La Paz Valley and you take that right hand turn. Go all the way down that road until you see a sign that reads Pavement Ending and turn left! We are just up the road on the left from there!  Our park (can you believe it's ours? :) ) is older and on the smaller side but has a ton of potential!  We've got many 30 Amp and a couple of 50 Amp sites left for the season. (That is the type of electrical hook-up you use in the RV for those of you that don't know.)  Our seasonal rate is $1145.  That's for a year! Such a great rate! You can pay that a month in some places in Florida!  We also have nightly, weekly and monthly rates that are great.  We are a Passport America park and honor that up to 7 nights in a year (except in January).

We've been here 3 days now.  We have the laundry all cleaned and open for business.  The dumpster has arrived, and we are getting ready for the season to open on Monday.  There is a lot for us to learn but the handful of people that are already here have been super nice and welcoming!  They have really appreciated that we came in ready to work and didn't just hang out until the 15th to get started.  Last night we had RV YouTube celebrities Rv Adventure TV ~ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLpCuPlxmWJOQOBiCabKTqg ~
come in for a couple of nights, but have decided to stay a week! Hopefully they give us a thumbs up on their channel!

It's currently 4:44 pm and it's 91 degrees but I have the windows open and there's a nice breeze coming through.  Jay still thinks it's hot! ;)  He's lost 8 lbs since we've been here and I've lost 4 lbs.  He's got the golf cart working now so he may slow down without having to do quite as much trotting to sites!  We do more work in the morning and late afternoon to evening.  Noon time is office work time because it's been warm out even for me. ;)  They tell us it will dip down some next week and keep getting cooler from here.  We'll see.  Personally I think this time of day and through the night is perfect already!  We can sit outside, have a cocktail, watch the sun set and the moon come up.  I tried to get you guys a shot of the full moon last night but it was so bright it didn't come out very well!  We couldn't see the International Space Station go by last night, the angle was too low, but it's supposed to be higher tomorrow night and we're hoping to get a view! The sky here is amazing!

That sunset is from my chair. Not a bad way to take it in.  We have mountains on 3 sides of us.  No snakes or crazy insects yet (although Jay says he swears he saw the craziest bee ever today) but we have a bunch of bunnies and we're pretty sure there was a coyote here in the park last night that Paris told off and it took off running.  Left us a pile of scat to clean up.  Guess Paris really scared him! LOL

We'll be working our tails off this week, I'm sure, getting the rec hall ready to go.  It's got this great kitchen to play in.  Hopefully we can put together some breakfasts for people and maybe a shin-dig or two.  Won't be ready to have a Halloween Party like we're used to this year, but who knows what next year will bring!

Just wanted to give you an update.  I'll try to keep you posted as we go!  Come see us if you can! We see rental RVs around a lot so we know they do have them if you don't own one.  Come see what it's all about. ;) 

And thanks for following along! 

~Mikki

"...God made life a gamble And we're still in the game.

Hey Guys!  We made it to Nevada!  We're currently parked at the Railroad Pass Hotel and Casino.  We're only about 14 miles from the KOA that we have booked for the rest of the week.  Yes, originally we weren't supposed to be there until Tuesday, but we made great time so we called and added an extra night to the reservation.  We'll be heading there tomorrow.  We stayed here for "free" for tonight.  Of course, we gave a donation to the casino so not really free. :)  I can't complain.  I played for a few hours at the roulette table for $20.  Great entertainment for less than a movie at the theater.

Let's catch up.  Last we left you we were in Amarillo.  We had great weather there. Nice breezes, cool mornings and warm days.  We got to watch some stealth bombers take off from the near by airport so that was cool.  Something to consider when booking your campgrounds;  apparently, many of them are close to airports and train tracks.  Trains are everywhere out west!  LONG trains!  Sometimes there must be about 200 cars going.  We have not had a problem with them.  Our Dutch Star is very sound proof.  I'm not sure about other brands, but even the dogs don't seem bothered unless we have the windows open.  Speaking of the dogs, they are still doing well.  We picked up another dog bed for $5 at walmart and they sleep in them side by side on the other side of Jay while we're driving.  There's just enough room on his left side for them there.  They are getting their places down when the engine starts now.  It was nice having a walmart to be able to pick up some familiar things like their dog food and not have to worry about that being new too.

New Mexico was beautiful.  Really.  I couldn't stop snapping pictures.  The rock formations and the colors were amazing.  It made crossing into Arizona a bit dull.  The landscape was fairly flat and plain for the first several miles. I 40 has been a pretty good road.  The quality has mostly been good, with not too much construction.  The only challenge has been the crosswinds.  sometimes they come out of nowhere and really take Serendipity for a gust!  After seeing all the rigs at Newmar we now know our Fat Bottom Girl is actually quite trim and svelte coming in at 40 ft 11inches.  The most popular model sold is their 43 foot Dutch Star, but they also do quite a few 45 foot ones also.   Many of the RVs on the road out here are larger but we they also have many sensors and gadgets that can go wrong so we're pretty happy with our girl.

We started climbing a bit yesterday and reached the Arizona divide. Over 7000 ft and quite a bit of green around.  Views were much more spectacular.  Also, coming down today the scenery wowed us as well.  I would really have liked to stay tonight at the welcome center in Boulder City with the spectacular views of Lake Mead, but sadly it was posted no overnight parking.

It's a bit surreal that we are here in Nevada.  This week is exciting because of the R+F convention and then next week we head to our new winter home in Quartzside.  What an amazing life we have.  We keep looking at each other and saying can you believe it? ;)

We happened to be in the right place at the right time to help another couple that got locked out of their rig.  That's the second couple we've been able to help.  We often talk about how blessed we are that life has led us here.  We hope that we can pass on fortune as we go.  After all, life is short, live in the moment and make it count.

So here's to all the soldiers 
Who have ever died in vain 
The insane locked up in themselves
The homeless down on Main
To those who stand on empty shores
And spit against the wind
And those who wait forever 
For ships that don't come in.

Here's to you and we hope you are all following your dreams whatever they may be.  Thanks for following along. 

~Mikki 

When that sun is high in that Texas sky

Hey Guys! How is everyone?

First things first, Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter Alana.  ;)

Now, let's see what has been happening since last post? Someone brought to my attention that I have mentioned slides but didn't explain what I meant by that.  Slides are sections of the coach that can expand out and give significantly more space! We have two slides. One is in the bedroom and one in the living space.  Here is an example of the rig with the slide in and the slide out. Judge for yourself. :)

Quite the difference, no? ;) 

So we left Nappanee on Saturday but later in the day.  One of the things about being further west is the sun rising later which has confused the dogs and allowed us to sleep later in the morning.  This is helpful because I seem to wake up in the middle of the wee hours and stay awake for awhile. Not sure what that is all about yet but working on it.  

My original route had us going from IN into Iowa and down through CO.  After talking to my dad we decided to change that a bit.  He suggested taking 35 to I40 and taking that across the lower states to avoid the mountains. Jay was all for that.  The mountains are harder on engines and harder on diesel consumption.  After looking at the maps, we decided we did not want to go anywhere near Chicago.  Even the outer rim so we took the southern route through IN and down I44 To get to I40.  This did add about 300 miles to the trip but they were easier miles so we thought it was worth it.  After traveling on I40 for awhile, Jay is happy with the decision and we have made up quite a bit of time.   We did not really enjoy OK.  Now before anyone says anything, I'm sure OK is a great state with many fine things about it.  Things we experienced? Well, for one thing, the bugs.  They are HUGE! Our windshield was completely covered and they make the same sound hitting it that a bird makes hitting the picture window back in Maine. No, seriously.  Jay spent the whole time he was fueling up washing the windshield! 

Also, my worst nightmare happened.  Dobby did not like OK.  He wanted to stay in the rig. I had to carry him out most stops.  As soon as he did his business he wanted back in.  Paris tends to want to stroll and check things out.  One morning I had both of them out and he slipped out of his harness.  I had stopped double hooking him through a collar because he had been so good.  This was my worst case incident happening! Fortunately, I had been teaching them that the rig is "home" and when I screamed "Dobby home!" He went and sat by the steps until I could get there to let him in.  Whew! He is now being double hooked each time we go out.  

Another stop had Paris getting these awful thistles in her paws!! It looked like regular grass but she started crying right away and Jay picked up to see these awful things in her paws! We got them all out and she seems fine but we felt so bad for her! 

We had a strap come loose on the outside of the slide.  Our first repair job! I got it back in place and Jay added silicone to adhere it back in place. Seems to be holding great.  So, I realize it sounds like we've had an awful time but really it wasn't!

The weather has been great for the most part, Just a little rain that helped wash the bugs from the windshield.  Mechanically the rig is going great.  Until tonight we still had not paid for a night spent anywhere.  We have felt completely safe.  We stopped at Camping World this morning and bought a surge protector for the whole rig.  This was on my wish list but the price almost sent Jay into fits. :)  We picked up a couple other items as well and filled the tank.  Nothing like dropping $700 before noon.  Yikes.  Good thing we had been good and not paid to stay anywhere! ;) 

That all changed tonight.  We have averaged close to 300 miles a day and we decided we needed to make a stop for full hook ups.  We wanted long, hot showers without depleting our reserves and we wanted to do some laundry.  So there was a KOA right off I40 in Amarillo.  We stopped to see if they had a site.  It's actually pretty full here.  To get a pull through (not a back in site since we have the tow vehicle) that has 50 amps they only had water, and electric. What a coincidence!  What we need is water and electric!  We just dumped on Saturday and can still dump before we leave for free if we need to. (Which we probably won't) This is a nice park.  I ran the google map and found we only have a little over 800 miles left to Vegas and 7 days to get there so we are staying an extra night here!  All of us can use a break from driving and it has a great play area for the dogs plus we can zip to Walmart in the car to pick up things we're getting low on.  

We have been fixing meals in and doing well with the budget so even though it's a little on the pricey side ($42 per night) we are feel good with it.  It has great internet and cable included in the price as well.

All together Texas has been very welcoming.  The bugs toned down and the road has been smooth with not much construction or traffic.  Both dogs like it here and people are friendly.  

I ain't got a dime but what I got is mine
I ain't rich but Lord I'm free
Amarillo by mornin'
Amarillo's where I'll be

I know it's hard to see them, but Red, Ursula, and Mr Kaplan are enjoying traveling the old Route 66 as well.

I'll keep you posted as we go...gonna hit that shower now.  Thanks for following along!

~Mikki

time in Nappanee...

Hey Guys! How is everyone heading into the weekend?  We are currently in Nappanee, IN.  We did arrive yesterday but not early enough to get any service done. So why are we still here? Well, actually it's pretty cool.

                                        this is the horse hook up at the grocery store in town

But let's go back and review things I forgot to mention last time.  First things first. We really did not like driving in MA.  The traffic was heavy and they were just jerks to drive near.  People did not respect how long it takes a 40,000 lb vehicle to stop.  Once we got to I84 it was much better.  And NY stayed pretty good. (Actually, the rest areas in NY were great! Huge pet walking area!)   I84 transitioned into I80 and traffic was pretty low and the construction was not bad at all.  When we crossed into PA the road was great. Jay said he would gladly do the whole trip on roads like I80 through PA.

Ohio seemed really long.  It was turnpike, but the first part of it was rough.  It got better as we went, but the construction got much worse.  In places down to one lane for long stretches.  Crossing into IN the road went immediately down hill, but did get better once we turned onto IN 15.  (I have done more with geography in the last few days then the last 15 years!)

We are definitely learning tricks as we go.  Lesson 1.  Tape the toilet paper roll.  ;)  After traveling the first day I opened the bathroom to find an invisible cat had unrolled the whole thing!  What else? Oh, Pilot does have a truck entrance... Jay did a fantastic job getting us out of that tight space! Backing up with a tow vehicle can be done (he proved it) but it is stressful!  I am so glad he is on top of things! He checks the tow car each time we stop and after we spent the night in Ohio he noticed that the ball that hooks the dolly to the back had loosened up. Scary! That's why we do the checks. Oil usage has been great, not burning any.  We think we are getting about 7mpg but that's not entirely accurate because we run the generator when we "dry dock" in the rest areas.   We were looking forward to full hook ups at "Camp Newmar".

As I mentioned, Ohio took us awhile with all the construction, so we didn't get to Newmar until almost 3pm.  Obviously we were too late to get on a walk-in service list.  No big deal.  Our rig has run great and I really wanted to see the factory tour which we could take on Friday (today).    We did the Newmar tour today. It was really cool. We went to the 1:00pm show and was so glad we did because the first half of the plant was done working and we didn't have to stay behind the yellow lines. We got to go right up close to see how they build them from the frame up.

We are staying here another night.  Most of the rigs that are left are here for long term service since all the techs have gone to CO for the rally that is happening there all next week.  Newmar provides FHUs for owners so we have stayed here for free.  Well, we did take advantage of the parts store to stock up on bulbs to all the unusual lights, and new A/C filters and vent covers. (Remember all the ones I cleaned? Well they are pretty brittle and discolored) We had also been told the filters are really hard to find.  These should last us for a long time.  We got new shields for many of the outside lights that the sun has faded to different color also.  So I guess it wasn't really "free". :)  We carry 4 gallon jugs plus some regular drinking water bottles with us.  Our fresh water tank hold 105 gallons of water but it has not been treated yet to be able to drink the water.  The grey tank (think dishwater and shower) holds 65 gallons and the black tank (think poo) holds 45 gallons.  When you have FHU you don't have to think about those numbers because it all just works. :)

We got really lucky last night because the regular old tv antenna brought in CBS and we were able to watch the Pats play.  We sadly do not get NBC so no Blacklist yet.  We also do not get cell service here.  Verizon and AT&T have coverage in the area but T-Mobile does not have contracts with them for this area.  We actually had been very pleased with T-Mobile's service up to this point though.  We have some free WiFi here courtesy of Newmar but it gets a bit spotty.  People can message us and we can hopefully catch it without too much of a time lag.

We unhooked the car and went into town to do some grocery shopping.  The market was cool! Besides the horse hook up they had every register open, a bagger at each lane, and the cashier takes your cart and unloads it while they ring you up so they can sort the way they want and it's super fast! We were pretty impressed!  Yes, there is a liquor section. (You knew we were looking for that, right?)

I have to say Newmar has totally impressed me. Not just how quality their products are, although that helps, but how they treat their customers and their employees is pretty cool.  We saw many, many employees while being here and they have all been smiling or at least looked like they were enjoying their jobs.  A gentleman who was checking part prices in the parts store against prices on Amazon said they were right there or better.  Some owners here are kind of grumpy because they have new rigs and there seems to be quite a few problems with them and the repairs are behind with the rally coming up. We're just glad that while our FBG might be the oldest one here, she's also the one that doesn't need work. ;)

We will probably head down the road tomorrow but we're enjoying the evening here.  Hope all is well in your world! Thanks for coming along.

~Mikki

RV living yet?

Good morning everyone!  Most of you may know that we started across the country on Monday.  Where are we? Well, currently we are in PA.

How are we doing?
Great! We are healthy. We've met some great people already.  None of our mistakes have been huge.  The dogs are cooperating.  Lots of pluses there.

So what could be better?
Well, when we travel the slides are in.  We are super fortunate to have two slides. They make a ton of difference in space.  Last night we stayed at a rest area so we didn't put them out.  It's fine. We can get to pretty much everything it's just tight.  It makes us grateful that we have slides normally.  I'm sure Jay would say it would be better if I were driving too. (Well, maybe he would, mostly he'd close his eyes and hope)  :)  I actually did move it about a foot yesterday.

We stayed at a super nice welcome ctr in Danbury, CT.  There was a free dumping station so in the morning he pulled up to it.  He then had me move the coach up about a foot more for comfortable hose reach.  Let me tell you.  It's different.  They say it's like driving a car.  I've never driven a car with brakes that reacted like that!  I'm sure I will adjust and I will drive at some point. I need to learn for safety but I'd rather we get a bit more comfortable with everything else first.

Jay has done fantastic! (We knew he would, right?)  Even with the extra 15 ft we have in length with the dolly and tow car he's been amazing.  GPS got us a bit turned around in CT and we had to go through some tight spaces but he handled it like a champ! So proud of him.

What have we done for bone head mistakes?
Well the aforementioned GPS folly was a piece of fun ;) and we almost missed an exit yesterday creating the need to quickly cross 3 lanes of traffic...note that with 56 ft of vehicle this does not make truckers around you happy!  But I am adapting!  I have figured out a way to use the atlas, NEXT exit book and the GPS in coordination so that it gives us a double check.  We don't trust any one source (including me) that much but if at least two things verify with each other it gives us about a 95% confidence boost.

Where are we going?
Well, our first goal is to get to Nappanee, IN home of Newmar (the makers of our rig).  We heard back from customer service and they take walk-ins Tue-Thur so we have a shot at getting there by Thursday.  We'd like them to take a look at the awning and make sure it's safe to go.  Then on Friday I'd really like to take their factory tour and see how they make the coaches from the bottom up. I'm sure it's a ton of helpful information.  Plus! There will be parts available.  We need to replace some light covers that are super yellow and brittle and find some hard to find light bulbs.
After that we are on to Vegas for the Rodan and Fields convention.  Jay will stay with the dogs in a KOA campground while I head in town to stay in the timeshare for that event.

How has the coach handled?
We've only had about 1200 ft of elevation so far but she's doing great!

I'll keep you posted as we go.  We changed our T-mobile plan so we can have our phones as unlimited hotspots.  This is not perfect, but it's working so far. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep you updated regularly! :)

Hope you all are doing well!  Thanks for following along!

~Mikki

Well, that wasn't supposed to happen...

Hey Guys! How's everyone?

So I thought I would give you a little update about our RV adventures.  Some things have gone great, like we discovered that the City of Augusta Sewer Treatment facility has a free dump station that is big rig friendly.  By big rig friendly, I mean Jay can drive the FBG in and around the site and then back into the area to line right up with the dump station.  I do not mean I would attempt this as it is a very tight road and I do NOT back well...but I digress...

That was great. The dogs have been wonderful! They really seem to love the RV life. Having the electric line installed after disconnecting the hot tub has made it so we are pretty much full time in the rig as we purge and figure out where everything is going to go.  We have even figured out how to use the patio awning that is huge on the side of the rig so that we get some great shade. See? Lots of great stuff.

Now, those of you that have followed the blog or know me, know that I like to research.  I watch videos, read blogs, follow forums.  I have been doing this about RVing for about 3 years now.  There is always (yes, pretty much always) that post that newbies have about a horrific moment.  You know where this is going, right?  Ours happened yesterday.

It was a beautiful day.  I was doing a few things around inside the rig and Jay had been puttering around doing some stuff outside.  There was suddenly a very big noise and the fluorescent light cover on one of the lights dropped onto the floor.  Before I could even ask "what was that?" Jay said "it went up over."

Yes, he was talking about the big beautiful patio awning.  A gust of wind that came out of nowhere took it and ripped the hinges right off the side of the rig and the awning was now laying on the roof.  I think both of our hearts stopped for a few minutes.  For one thing, if you take a look at where we are parked there is a power line that runs above the rig.  I have to get up on the back of the rig and lift the cable line each time we pull in or out of the driveway so that it will not catch on the back ladder. Not a big deal, but I am HUGELY aware to stay away from that power line.  I couldn't see how close it got at that point but lets just say I think we were super lucky in how it landed.  Also, we could see holes in one side of the rig where bolts had actually pulled out.

Soooo... 

 I'm proud to say we did not panic.  We knew we couldn't leave it the way it was (besides the fact that we would not be able to move the rig, the mysterious gust of wind could return at any moment) so I climbed up on the roof to investigate.  It should be noted that I knew going into this adventure that while Jay is fully on board and does pretty much all the outside maintenance, he does not do roof work.  ;)  Once we get over 6ft it's all me.  After I got up there I could get to both sides with no problem.  I was able to ease each side over to Jay and he got the awning to extend gently,  I climbed down and we evaluated what we had to work with.  Again, incredibly lucky.  No real damage.  The awning did not rip.  The poles did not break or bend.  Now that we could see closer, we could tell this was NOT the first time this had happened. ;)  The bolts that came out had done that before.  By working together; me on the roof for the left side hinge and Jay on the ladder for the right we were able to reset everything and get it back to normal!  We had planned a stop at the Newmar factory in Indiana on the way out to AZ anyway. Now we just have more reason.  We'll have them take a look and make sure it's all secure and do anything they might need to reinforce what we have done.  But I have to say we were pretty proud of ourselves for getting it back together! 

We did admit (after it was back to normal) that we were both pretty scared when it happened.  Hey at least it wasn't a black tank newbie catastrophe! I think it actually gave us some confidence that we can and will handle what ever comes along with this new life!  

I know this doesn't really seem to fall in line with information about having bariatric surgery and if you are a first time reader you may be confused, but I believe it does have to do with a healthy life. As we set off to explore all that the world has to offer we plan to exercise our bodies, minds and imaginations.  I hope you will continue to come along with us! Hopefully we have more fun and less "learning" moments, but I'm sure there will be a lot of those too!  ;) 

It's hot, have you got your water in? 

Thanks for following along!

~Mikki

You knew I didn't mean it, right?

So...all that about "hey, we need time to figure her out and we're not going anywhere"...yeah, that was short lived. ;)

How are you all doing?  We are doing great! Except we are suddenly on a time crunch! I know, I know! But let me explain...

Remember back in May when we went to the RV Rally in Tennessee? One of the great things we learned about was something called Workamper News.  It's a site that links RV owners looking for employment with jobs out there in the RV world.  So, since we are now RV owners out here in said world, I decided it was time for us to join.  I mean, we need lots of time to look at these things, right? We need to build a joint resume and figure out what kind of job we might like or be good at...and really, what are the chances of us getting hired right away?? We need practice interviews and stuff...

Come to find out, the site has a resume builder.  So Jay and I combined our experiences and job skills and came up with a resume.  We'd been talking more and more about not wanting to winter in Maine. I have been about getting out of the snow because I'm freezing in August; we really do not have experience trying to get the rig through the cold weather without sustaining any damage; and really if there was something in warm weather, why not, right??  So we started reading the open positions.  Now, as you can imagine this late in the season we weren't really expecting to find anything.  I mean most places are advertising now for next summer. But there were a few places that had something happen and needed help for part or all of the winter.

I have read about Quartzside, AZ since we first started talking about RVing.  Apparently it's a small town in the middle of the desert and most months has a population of about 3000.  Each January anywhere from 500,000 to 2,000,000 RVs descend on the area.  CRAZY! Google some of the images!  So of course when there was a job opening to manage an RV park in Quartzside, we're in right??  Let's send out this resume and see how gently they turn us down...

As it turns out, the emails turned to a phone interview and the interview went well.  We really liked the sound of the Park.  It's good sized but not huge (about 90 sights). About 20% are full season already.  The season goes from October 1st to April 15th.  One of our conditions was that we couldn't get there until after my R+F convention the first week in October and they agreed to that. ;)  So we found ourselves signing on as managers! We have our winter gig! La Paz RV Park.  The seasonal rates are fantastic! Where else can you get FHU (full hook up) sites for the whole season for the equivalent of 43 days?

Ok, now don't panic! We have taken our FBG (Fat Bottom Girl) out to kick her tires.  We took her to Shore Hills Campground and RV Park for a few nights.  Got to run her through her paces.  And got the dogs used to walking on their leashes and riding in the rig.  They did great btw.  We have even tried out the washing machine!  We decided we need at LEAST 10 days to get out to Vegas for the convention so the plan is going to be heading out on September 19th.

There it is! 20 days! Get completely moved in and ready to go.  So much for taking our time and having months to decide what we're doing. ;) You knew that wasn't really our style anyway, right?  I mean it's pretty much a given that we're "go big or go home"!

So what do you think? Ready to go on another journey...??....

Since we're leaving the 19th, I had to move my appointment with Dr. Trieu. I will now see him on my surgiversary (the 15th).  Can you believe it's been 2 years???

Thanks for coming along.
~Mikki

...Absolute Beginners...

Who doesn't love David Bowie, right?  And since we last talked we bought our new RV from a couple named Bowie! Nice segue, right?? ;)

How's everyone doing out there?  Doing your walking? Drinking your water? Keeping up on your protein?  Feeling pretty good here...did over 5 miles today.  Decided I needed to give you guys an update!  Holy Cow it's August! The time really does fly! Next month will be my two year surgiversary!  CRAZY!  Been in maintenance mode for 5 months now and doing ok.  I'm fluctuating between 137-141 lbs.  I actually drop down when I go too long without walking.  

What else? Oh, yeah...I retired.  :)  Well, not really. But yeah, retired from Evergreen.  The doctors and team gave me the most amazing send off! The gifts were really thoughtful and overwhelming. I am very lucky to have them all in my life!  Oh and as I mentioned at the top, we bought the rig!! Ok, y'all it's a 40ft Newmar Dutch Star 4095.  For those of you that don't speak RV...that means it's freaking big.  ;)  

Here are two of my beautiful grand kids eating lunch in her.  We've named her Serendipity and call her our fat bottom girl...cause she is and we all know they make the world go round. 

Everyone wants to know where we are going first...well, that gets a little complicated!  First off, we have to move in to her.  I know, I know. You're think, geez, Mikki, you've know you were doing this for 3 years...what's the hold up?  Believe it or not, we're trying to learn about her before we take off and make all kinds of mistakes.  Now, I know, you're now thinking that doesn't sound like us at all! LOL We do usually dive right in.  However, this girl has got a lot going on and we don't want to hurt her if we can help it!   My darling Jay has driven all kinds of large vehicles in his life, and even he is a little nervous about just taking off in her! After all, we are absolute beginners...

Nothing much could happen
Nothing we can't shake
Oh, we're absolute beginners
With nothing much at stake
As long as you're still smiling
There's nothing more I need
I absolutely love you
But we're absolute beginners
But if my love is your love
We're certain to succeed

So, that being said, we're gonna start off with some small trips around the state and see where it takes us.  We always knew we'd need to be back in the area next May for our youngest's graduation from college.  Our big splurge is a plan to spend a month in the Keys.  :) 

My business is taking off. I've got a promotion and a raise already! :)  Rodan + Fields has given me an amazing opportunity to take a business on the road! I am so grateful.  I love that I'm working with such a great group of people and I love that the company is growing! We are expanding into Australia soon! How cool is that?   I love that these skin products are made by dermatologists and are a wonderful tool to bring my skin back to healthy.  Did you know your skin is your largest organ? I mean think about that.  We talk about hydration being good for our skin...uh, yeah! If I told you there was a regimen that could make your kidneys look and feel 10 years younger wouldn't you want to do that? Taking care of your skin is so important! I have soooo been guilty of NOT doing that.  A lot of nights I didn't even wash my face!  YIKES!  Almost 50 years of abuse my skin has been taking!  But now, I'm on the road to recovery! 

It's easy to get carried away talking about it because it really works!  If you care to check out my website, here is the link:   https://mikkistudley.myrandf.com  take a look around if you need skin care!  We're the #1 anti aging line and the #2 overall skin care line (only second to Clinique which has been around for decades!).  If you are looking for a business venture and would like to join me in this journey or even have questions about how it works then shoot me a message! I'd be glad to share! It's too good to keep to myself!

I'm writing this in the RV and I hope to keep up with all our adventures here.  There are a ton of blogs about RVing out there...and also many videos on youtube...I'd like to think that maybe I'll get adventurous enough to create a video...if only to show the amazing places we hope to see!  Again, as with the sleeve...many of the blogs are pretty negative.  Of course it's good to see reality but I hope that I showed you the journey through my sleeve as a positive experience and I also hope that, no matter the challenges, we can show that the world of RV living can be positive too!  I have a few updates to do...not a lot because she's in really good shape, but I want to put on some new hardware and maybe update the back splash to give her a personal touch.  I used the convection oven with the kids the other day so I know I can cook in her! :) I just need to figure out what we need to take.  All the advisers say use things that can have multiple purposes so I'm trying to think like that.  And in the RV world less is more...ha! imagine that! Just like in the sleeve world!  :) 

Thanks for sticking with me guys...got your water in?

~Mikki  

...The resolution of all the fruitless searches

     Good morning everyone!  Hey! It's May!  That means it has been two years now since I first started the steps to a healthier me!  Whoa!   Time really does fly! If we don't take care we lose focus and we miss many things we really want to be a part of! 

     Last post I touched on leaving my home at Evergreen Dental.  Why do I call it home? Well, to me, a home is where you come from; where you spend time; where there are people you love and people that support you.  Evergreen has been my work home for more than twenty years now!!  3 years ago I made the decision that this summer it would be time to try something else.  I mentioned in passing that we plan to move into an RV. No?  I didn't mention moving in? Well, heck yes! There's no half way here people! Who needs more than 200 square feet anyway?? (YIKES!)

     After 2 years together on this journey, you know me well enough to know that I have been researching everything you need to know about living in an RV.  Believe me, (holy cow) there is a LOT of information!  How does this relate to preparing for my sleeve?  Well, believe it or not there are many similarities:    
1. Cost 
2. Sustainability 
3. Communication 
4. Emotions 
5. Goals  
6. Maintenance  

     Also, a challenge is how this new life will work with my sleeve.  AND how I continue to improve myself as I face the changes in my body since having the surgery.  I have said before I am very lucky that my skin retained much of its elasticity.  I know many of you that have had WLS have struggled with this.  My skin, while it is not saggy in *most* places, shows quite a bit of damage since you know I'm a sun lover!  Well, obviously we all know by now that I don't do things well without a tool to help.  My sleeve was a fantastic tool for my weight loss.  Where can I find a similar tool for skin care? And how many others face this same challenge? 

     Amazingly I have a friend who is a consultant for Rodan + Fields.  (Yes, they are the doctors that created pro-active)  They have a complete skin care line now! Wait! This isn't a commercial! ;)   In fact, she's reached out to me a couple times to see if I was interested in her products or working as a consultant and I turned her down flat!  Why?  Well, I had several thoughts...I won't be able to afford it, I don't want to do "parties" (I've done those before and while fun, they are not where I want to expend energy in my next life), and I wouldn't have room to carry any inventory in my RV so why look into being a consultant? Right?

     Truth time.  I truly believe you can not accept something until your mind and heart are in sync.  I can continue to buy crap stuff that doesn't work and waste my money trying overnight fixes (wait, doesn't that sound familiar??)  OR I can choose to have a plan.  A doctors' regiment that will actually work with me... (you know, like a tool should!) ...to have better skin.  Dr. Rodan and Dr. Fields extended their line beyond acne because so many of us have other issues. Perhaps you have sensitive skin?  With eczema or redness or you have some deep lines and sagging from the weight loss?  Or, like me, dark spots and sun damage?  They have treatment for all these and more.  I was skeptical of course, but you know me, research queen here.  You should see all the before and afters! I'm not talking about a handful! I'm talking person after person that have had results!  It's not overnight, but we've been there before, right? Baby steps! Staying with it! Following the plan!  

     So, now I know what product I want to use.  How do I get there right?  Well, first of all I can throw out all those preconceived notions I had.  After (finally) agreeing to listen to my friend Justine I realized I was spending at least as much if not more on the crap stuff I was already buying. Plus, as a consultant I could get a steep discount! What about not wanting to carry inventory?  There is none! You buy direct from a website and you can order as much or as little as you want! Parties? Nope (well at least not carrying around suitcases full of stuff and doing presentations!) I don't count drinking wine or mimosas and chatting with friends work! Also, you can be as much or as little involved in sales as you want! No quotas to fill!  These doctors are committed to helping people improve their lives. There is NO animal testing done! (important to me) AND they're committed to anti-aging, which I can totally get behind! ;) 

     The result? Yep, I am a new independent consultant for Rodan + Fields!  I get a great product (at a discount) and if anyone wants to buy some from me I can help pay for my internet on the road! Yahoo!! I'm pretty sure once people see results of these products I'll be able to bump that goal to paying for my entire budget on the road! One step at a time Baby!  ;)  I woke up with a little Peter Gabriel stuck in my head this morning and it seemed appropriate! 
 
                                       So much wasted and this moment keeps slipping away
                                           I get so tired of working so hard for our survival
                                      I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive

     Interested?  Want to hear more about one of the products or even (gasp) becoming a consultant yourself?  Just shoot me an email to mikkistudley@gmail.com.  You know I believe nothing is right for everyone but we need a plan to change or we're just gonna stay in the same place, right? So, no commercial but an open invitation for anyone that needs a little help with their skin (like me!). 

     

         In your eyes

I see the doorway to a thousand churches

           In your eyes

The resolution of all the fruitless searches

I hope you'll stay with me for this next journey into better skin!  We all have it and need to take care of it!  Thanks for following along!  

~Mikki 

18 months out...

Hey guys!! How is everyone?  I had my 18 month check up today and thought I'd update you all on how I'm doing.

Let's review...when I started this process In May of 2014 I had a BMI of 40.  I had a hard time tying my shoes.  I couldn't wear heels.  I was out of breath crossing a parking lot.  I was always  hungry.  My feet and ankles hurt all the time.  I was morbidly obese.

fast forward to today.

My BMI is 25.  I can and often do walk several miles at a time.  I take the stairs. I can wear heels! My blood work levels are perfect!  In fact, my iron was so high I don't have to take the multi vitamin any more if I don't want to!  Dr. Trieu and his PA said the best part was my skin! My elasticity is so good that no one would be able to tell I had bariatric surgery...except...of course I tell everyone!! I love my sleeve!  

yep! That's me! I took a class on wine making!  Ha! Me! With energy to go somewhere after work! Can you feel me?

Ok, complete honesty time.

People always want to know. How am I really? What is my energy level?  Do I have to wait 30 minutes to drink after I eat forever? Can I still drink wine? What can/can't I eat?  What do I do at a restaurant?

I am fantastic. No, really.  I haven't had bronchitis in two years.  If you know me, you know that's a big deal.  Two winters without even a bad cold.    I still have lazy days.  But now I spontaneously plank.  I always feel better after I go for a long walk.  Yes, I will always have to wait to drink after I eat. (it keeps my drink bill down when I go out to eat because I order a drink and by the time the food comes it's gone and I don't order another) I order an appetizer for my entree.  OF COURSE I can drink wine! :)  I can eat anything.  Really! I did have trouble with chicken for about a year but now I can eat anything I want (just small amounts of it).

Things I've learned? Well, I still use a small dish and probably always will.  If I don't I sometimes will not realize how much I have and it still does not feel good to eat too much.  Can you believe I just said that?  I can recognize when I'm full now!! *happy dance!*  I probably do not drink as much water as I should, and I probably drink too much coffee but I'm ok with that.  I can go all night without getting up to pee!! I can walk 8 miles without having to stop to pee!!  I *almost* enjoy shopping for clothes at times!

I can't drink much milk (not that I ever did) but even chocolate milk, that I like, is a bit thick and heavy so I can only drink about 1/4 of a cup and I'm full.  I can do a sip or two of soda without it turning to acid but not much more than that and I'm completely fine with that too.  I drink more juice now (no, I mean real juice not wine).  ;)   I do snack some.  I like ice cream and pretzels.  I eat beet chips (they're really good honest!) and I do indulge in doritos once in awhile.  As Dr. Trieu says everything in moderation.  If I tried to give up all the yummy stuff I'd drive myself crazy.  One of the biggest reasons I went with the sleeve was so I could still eat anything I wanted just not very much of it.

My typical breakfast is 3/4 of a breakfast sandwich.  ( you have to be ok with waste!)
Morning snack? apple slices with peanut butter or a handful of almonds
Lunch might be 3/4 of a lean cuisine.
Dinner is usually 2-3 ounces of meat and a bite or two of a side.
Evening snack is 1/2 cup ice cream or some other yummy treat.

I can go without eating but try not to. My blood sugar doesn't spike and drop like it used to.  My cholesterol was so good I don't even have to have it measured any more.  My blood pressure today was 117/59.   My vitamin D was 38 which isn't bad for Maine in March ;) and my iron was 170! which is actually on the high side!   I go back in 6 months for my two year check.  Today he said I was a "model patient" so I guess I'm good....BUT....

this has all been in the honeymoon phase.  What does that mean?  Well, from everything I've read people generally start to struggle about 18 months out.  This is maintenance.  This gets tougher. I hope that I am strong enough to have learned lesson.  I need to keep moving.  I need to pay attention to my portions.  I need to be healthy.

We'll be going on the road sometime in the next year.  My time at Evergreen Dental will be done in July.  I'll be going on hikes and learning to plank in the RV and out doors. I've thought about blogging this continued journey...I'm wondering if there would be interest? Let me know what you think.

How is your journey going? I know I stepped off walking this winter...it's really hard to do in the cold...but I'm back at it now...how about you? Getting some steps in?  How about your water? For those of you in the south I hear it's warming up! Be sure to keep hydrated!  Spring is almost here!!  Keep smiling!

Thanks for coming with me on this wonderful jouney!  :)

~Mikki

Surgiversary....

Tomorrow is September 15th.... one year since my sleeve.  How totally amazing the journey has been!

Let's go back...

Being fat plump didn't make me a bad person.  I wasn't a negative Nelly or down on myself.  I could smile and love and do many things happily.  BUT....I was scared.  I was scared I was going to get really sick.  I was scared I wouldn't be able to enjoy life.  I was scared I wouldn't be able to see the people I love grow.

Being scared sucks.  I don't like it.  I don't like knowing that I'm letting something have that much control over me.  I tried all the tricks.  I tried the diets and the pills and the drinks and gym.  Nothing much stuck for long and it certainly didn't change me in any significant way.  I needed help.  I needed a tool that was more than a calorie counter.  I needed to lose 87 lbs.  That is a lot of  butter!

Fortunately I found help.  Those of you that have been with me since the start or have read all the posts understand that it wasn't a magic switch.  My sleeve doesn't do the walking for me.  It doesn't choose my proteins.  What it does do is help me to know my limits.  It guides me to make choices that will work for me.  It tells me "stop it girl or you're gonna get sick".  I've learned a lot this year.  I have more to learn still. For instance, I got my blood work done just before we went on vacation.  It tells the truth.  It said "girl, you haven't been taking your vitamins".  "And now, you are low on B12 and B1.  What are you going to do about that?"

Well, that has made me research what B12 and B1 do....kinda serious things like you know, help with your nervous system and help regenerate the cells in your organs.  So guess what?  I've now learned that I can take my vitamins by mouth without getting sick! I don't like it, but I'd like getting into that kind of trouble a lot less.

So where am I now? (besides a little low on vitamins)
I have lost 92 lbs! That's right! I am 5 lbs below my goal.

 and that's not even the best part...the best part is how much healthier I am overall and the fact that I can now do amazing things I would have been SCARED to do before!

Parasailing has been on my bucket list for many years but there was always an excuse...because I was scared...

Not anymore!!  There it is.  When he asked me how much I weighed I didn't have to think about being embarrassed to say how much.  I didn't worry that I wouldn't fit into the straps.  I just grinned and told him 140 lbs!

My BMI is normal.  I am at a healthy weight.  It's such a simple thing to say.  But for me it was impossible for years.  I am so happy to be given these years back.  Dr. Trieu estimated at least 10 extra.

We are almost out of the honeymoon phase.  I may not continue to lose more.  This was a slow month with just over 2 lb loss.  That's ok.  When I stop losing then we'll move on to maintenance.  It's still unknown, but I don't find that scary.  Where I've already been...that was scary!  After all, I can only do things one day at a time but as time has shown, those little steps...they lead to big changes!!

Thanks for following along!
~Mikki

Almost 11 months out...

Hiya Peeps!! Just a quick line to say "Goal!!!!!!!!"

Actually I'm currently 3lbs under goal!!  It's been a long journey but here's a little before and after to remind you how worth it it's been!  Thank you all for your support! I can't begin to express how much it has helped!

There will still be the struggle with maintenance and we will have to keep working. :)  Next year will begin the tale of learning how to deal with a sleeve on the road!  Happy August everyone!!

Thanks for staying with me!
~Mikki

9 month check

Hey Peeps!

Wow, I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted! How you all doing?? :)

So Wed. was my 9 month check with Dr. Trieu.  I'm gonna talk some numbers here...I am NOT putting these here for any kind of comparison. Numbers are different for everyone and your journey will be totally different than mine and might not even be about weight loss so keep that in mind, k?

I stepped on the scale and I was 2 lbs higher than I was in the morning on my scale.  I mention this because I plan to get to goal on MY scale. :)

Anyway, I was at 150 lbs.  That means I've lost 11 lbs since I last saw Dr. Trieu.  He was pleased with this.  I was actually a little surprised.  It has been coming off so slow lately that I hadn't realized it had added up to that much!  My goal has always been 145 lbs. I'm 3 lbs away. (by my scale, see how that comes in to play?) I have lost 88.5% of my body fat. My BMI is 26%  which depending on which chart you look at is on the line between healthy/normal and overweight. I'm pretty comfortable with it.  Dr. Trieu was very pleased with it.

Let's review. When I went into the program I had a BMI of 40%.  I lost 23 lbs pre-op and was still 38% at time of surgery.  I will have some regain 2-3 years out.  It happens.  That's why I want to get to 145.  I feel good and would be ok if I come back to the 150-155 range long term.

How are other things?  Well, my blood pressure was 104/47.  The nurse actually asked me if I was dizzy or anything! ;)  Didn't have to do blood work this time but my energy is great and he is pleased with how I'm eating...yes, even the ice cream I have a couple times a week. :) a 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup a couple times he a week.  Treats are good if you keep the amount down.  And thankfully I can now be satisfied with just a little!!

The biggest blessing for me is not to be hungry all the time!  I cannot even begin to describe how wonderful that is. So what's left?  Well, 3 more pounds!!  That's 12 sticks of butter!  I don't even want to think about all the sticks I've lost in the last year! :) YUCK!

I've got a new water bottle and I'm trying to get back into the water swing...yeah, it has not been where it should be lately and I know it! How about you?  Getting hydrated?  It's all about each day, isn't it? :)  Well the day is still early! Get some water going folks!

I hope people are working on their goals. I know everyone gets busy and life gets crazy but remember to take some time for you....and have fun doing it, cause if not, what's the point?

7.5 months out...

Good morning Peeps!!

Well, here we are seven and a half months out since surgery, but really it's been a year since I started the whole process.  Hard to believe it's been that long?  Yeah, for me too...
Let's talk progress.  First a snapshot of what the year was like...

That sharp drop in September?   Yep, that was the surgery.

A year just flew by!! Where am I??  5lbs to goal people!! 5lbs!!

A total loss of 82 lbs so far... no wonder I was tired when I was fat plump!  Think about grabbing a 50 lb bag of dog food...now add a 25 lb bag...now pick up a 5 lb bag of sugar...oh! and don't forget 8 sticks of butter!!!   It's a wonder I could walk!

I've really learned that I needed more than just me.  I think I'm a pretty strong person, but when you are addicted to something you sometimes need a tool that just isn't naturally within you.  My sleeve gives me that tool.  Some people can use weight watchers or another tool...it doesn't matter as long as it works for you!  And if doesn't have to be about weight loss...just health.  Keep hydrating.  Giving up soda has improved everything.  It really is destructive.

Carbonation is really the only thing that I will not go back to at all.  I eat small amount of just about anything.  I can even eat chicken now!! whoot!  I have no desire to go back to soda.  Even if I still craved pouring the sugar into me (which I don't) the acid that crawls back up my throat would not be worth it.

We recently had the book signing for my mom's new book "Distant Cousin" by Delia Drake...it was great to be able to be at the store for a couple hours without my ankles aching and to be able to visit with everyone and not be tired.  It was a great day!

As this summer gets underway, be sure to take good care of yourself...and remember little steps lead to surprising results!

Heading to Florida in a couple of weeks...Just like last year...I will post some before and afters from last vacation to this one after...we'll seen if you notice any difference!  :)

Thanks for sharing this journey!

~Mikki 

6 months post op..the "c" word and other unmentionables...

Hey Everyone! How are you all doing?  Thought I'd check in with you all.

Today is 6 months post-op...and I'm down 75 lbs total!  :)  24 lbs pre-surgery and 51 lbs in 6 months.

12 more to go to goal.  Things have slowed down for sure.  Month "6" I lost 5 lbs...still, I'm losing not gaining, right?

This winter has been a killer for me.  An excuse I know.  But it's just not the same to exercise indoors.  I went for a walk the other day when our temps got up into the 40s... a little over two miles and I was feeling it!  Especially puffing going up the hills!  Can't wait for it to be warm enough to get back into a good groove.

One of the things I've had to learn on this journey is that there are a lot of things no one really talks about... like "c"onstipation!  Going through this process you do start to adapt.  But remember, there are so many different phases it's going to play some havoc with your body.  That liquid phase? Liquid in equals liquid out... concentrating on just getting in protein? Well, that can actually hit people differently.  Many people who do a lot of protein end up running to the bathroom without a minute to spare...for me, not so much.  TMI, right?  Well, sorry, but this is a pretty big part of the process!  And while, Dr. T looked me straight in the face and said "you know you're not normal, right?" (as if I had any doubts!) I know from reading the boards that I'm not the only one who happens to go in this direction.  So what do I mean about constipation?  Not going for a day or two? Uh, no, try for a week or two... yep.  That's what I mean.  The really good thing about it?  I can usually count on a couple pound loss at that point!! ;)

I have always been slow to go... :)  but this has reached new timing.  Have I figured out a pattern of how it works?  Or what to do?  No, not really.  Have I tried things?  Oh yeah.  I tried benefiber everyday...nothing... Miralax?  I can take that stuff for a week straight and get next to nothing.  Although, I will say the FIRST time I try these things they help...but after that not so much.  The veggies in my shake?  Yeah, that was great the first time too.  Then I adapt.  Right now, I'm doing heavy cream in my coffee instead of half n half...this is beneficial since it's lower in carbs too and for a couple days it's been good...we'll see if it lasts long.    The other problem that contributes to this is the low iron thing.  So, I'm really trying to remember my vitamin.  I'm opening the capsule and pouring it into my shake.  Works great.  But of course, iron doesn't really help the whole regularity thing.   I have had a couple times where everything comes through at once...usually after chicken...this is also accompanied by the foamies and is not a pleasant alternative!  I no longer do chicken.  Did I mention I never realized how much chicken I ate until I no longer do?

I eat quite a bit of steak now.  I'm sure part of that is my body helping to replace iron naturally.  I can do pork with no problem but it doesn't seem to appeal on quite the same level as beef.  I go through phases of wanting tuna and then not wanting anything to do with it.  It's important to point out that I am not 100% on plan.  For many people only being 6 months out, they would not want to really add any or at least many carbs, particularly ones that are less than complex.  My goal was always to be able to eat anything I want...just small amounts.  I eat french fries.  I eat potato salad.  I eat mashed potato.  Many if not most people would want to avoid those food still this early on.  I am fortunate since I was considered a "light-weight" with less than 100 lbs to lose that I can have a few bites of these this early.  Would my weight loss be faster if I did not?? Most probably.  :)  Keep in mind that is journey is going to be different for everyone and you may have a completely different experience and that's ok.

What else?  Oh, yeah the sag...don't be discouraged.  Your body has been plumped up with fat  plumpness!  Now it needs time to recover.  Keep up the exercise.  And holy cow, don't forget to moisturize!!  I'm sure the time of year doesn't help, but I have to keep the skin hydrated or I actually scratch myself to pieces!   Oh and hair loss.  Mine is finally slowing down.  It started in at about 4 months out...really falling out in the shower or when I combed my hair.  I was lucky that it was not so bad that I got bald spots or had to cut my hair to make up for the thinning but I did notice it for sure. Many people have it much worse.  I notice now that while I still lose some...I am going through menopause after all...it has slowed down again.

What can I eat at this point?  Well, I still need to measure, or I can forget.  By measure, I don't mean weigh everything, but I do check in quite often with the scale and my best tool I find is to use a dish that is small.  This isn't to "trick" my mind into thinking I'm getting more...it's to make sure I don't put too much on the plate and make myself sick.   If you eat too much, or too fast, then those foamies are awful!!  We all know I hate to throw up but when I'd rather just be able to throw up than suffer through that foam backing up in your throat you know it's not fun!  For me, gum helps with this.  I don't know if it would for most people.  In fact, they recommend you don't chew gum after the surgery because it can put air in your tummy and cause pain.  Maybe it's because I have been a life long gum chewer but for me it helps.  A half cup is about perfect for mixed foods.  I can do a little more (maybe 3/4 cup) of soups or soft food but a half is more comfy.  2.5 - 3 oz of meat is about great.  I can eat a bite or two of veggies and carb if I keep it to the 2,5 oz.  If I am eating just steak can do a little over 3 oz without discomfort.  Why does that settle best for me?  I have no idea but it does.

Do I get hungry?  Yes.  But not like before.  It takes a couple hours after I eat something now.  And I do feel full when I eat.  Do I go for long periods without getting hungry?  Yes.this is a dangerous slope.  It used to be if I went very long I would get cranky and shaky.  This doesn't happen anymore.  I fasted the other day for blood work and it was well after noon by the time it got done.  I grabbed some almonds at the store after and it was fine.  No shaking.  What I do notice is that I will tend to push too much if I haven't eaten for awhile. If you let yourself get too hungry you revert to that whole eyes bigger than your belly thing...OUCHY!  There are many reasons they want you to eat at least 3x a day without missing meals if you can.  Mostly your body just needs the fuel.  Your metabolism needs something to burn...especially if you still have weight to lose.  So pay attention to time going by and have a plan to not go too long even if you think you're doing ok.

I guess planning is one of the biggest parts of making this journey successful.  Maybe that's why we start with all the steps 6 months before the surgery.  We have to plan out all those things and it gets us used to it.  Life is so fast now days.  We don't plan out meals or anything else many times.

So the questions everyone asks?  Do I still love it? Do I regret not being able to eat all that I could want?  Would I do it again?

The answer to all?  Yes.  Yes, I love my sleeve.  Yes, sometimes I miss being able to eat more of something I like the taste of. Yes, I would do it again in a heartbeat.   I know I am healthier.  I know that I have a tool to help me stay in control.  I know I could never have done this loss without it.

If you're thinking about surgery...it is not easy.  It is a huge decision.  Know all the things that happen.  Do your research.  But as for me?  I say go for it!  The risks are less than living your life as less than you can be!    I think that's true of most things, right??

Thanks for continuing on the journey with me! 6 months people!

~Mikki