11 Years Post-Op & still going strong!

Today, April 12, 2018 is the 11th Anniversary of my Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery.  The photo above is the only comparison photo I am going to do this year, I will save the multi-view photo for my 13th year anniversary, that’s my lucky (and favorite) number.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to celebrate today actually.  In the first quarter of this year, I was sick 30 days of those first 90.  I have had to withdraw my name from the qualifiers for the Women’s National Team (the first time, since it’s creation, I will NOT be at the World Championships at Battle of the Nations) and my husband JUST had surgery 3 days ago to repair his spine. So yea, being 11 years post-op wasn’t high on my list this year.

But, yesterday when I was recording an unboxing of my new Wonder Woman traveler’s notebook (see link below) from @TelevisionTrainWreck on Etsy, I couldn’t help but talk about it…and let myself ramble on about a wide variety of other things including our plans in case of a zombie apocalypse and why I lock the door while my pup goes potty outside lol.

The video on my YouTube Channel

Needless to say that 2018 has not been an easy year so far, however, I have also come to realize I am the happiest I have ever been and truly, I love my life, with all its ups and downs and crazy spins, it really does keep me entertained and I have no problem celebrating every day, which was my #1 goal the day of my surgery 11 years ago.

Celebrate the rest of my life, no matter what!

So that’s what I’m doing.  I celebrate.  I try my best never to simply endure my life, I try and focus on having fun, enjoying myself and doing the things that make me happy.  Whether that’s swinging a sword or a fountain pen or visualizing making my dreams come true of being a writer and a coffee shop/stationary store owner, it doesn’t matter, as long as I am happy with the person I am.

I have recently read The Miracle Morning (just finished it this morning actually) and I have honestly enjoyed adding some time back into my schedule by getting up at 4:45am every morning.  Its not nearly as hard as I thought it would be and its given me much needed quiet time to think about my future and figure out what kind of path I want to be on for this next segment of my life.  Up til now, I hadn’t really put much thought into my retirement years but at 51, I can’t help it.  Once I turned 50 it’s being thrown at me from every angle and I know I will need a plan.

Of course, I always need a plan…even when I fly by the seat of my pants, I’ve pretty much planned my ass off for it lol.  Its what planner girls do.

So here we are, 11 years later, and I decided I would at least acknowledge it and when I saw the photo on the left, I realized my newest profile photo kind of matched it so I figured why not, let’s see the comparison.  Truth be told I was kind of shocked at the difference because I remember when the photo on the right was taken.  I’d just started to think about getting the surgery again, after so many denials and I wanted Greg to take a photo, because I felt pretty, having just done my makeup and getting my nails done.

Funny, because in the photo on the right, I had those exact same feelings.  I’d just had a professional photographer take my headshot for our company website and I’d just had my nails done, and I felt pretty!  This shot was not the one on the website, I actually took it myself (in the restroom of all places because its the only white background wall in the building lol).

13 years & 250 pounds separate these two photos, but the woman in them is pretty much the same, but I somehow feel freer.  Free to be happy, free to be myself and free to do whatever the hell I want…because I am my own person, not being held back by society, or by fear of what people think about me anymore.  I grew into myself (not grew up mind you,  I will never grow up!  LostBoys Forever!!!).

I finally feel like I am the Me I was meant to be…and I am happy with that person.

I hope you all enjoy your day today and never be afraid to celebrate the little things…whether they take 11 years or 11 minutes to make you happy!

Just Celebrate!!!

Amy Graham

The Badass Valkyrie