A Bittersweet Afternoon for Suzy

Thank you all for your wonderful response to Suzy's weight loss news! That was most heartening. By the way, this morning the number had jumped to 105 pounds!

A couple of readers suggested that Suzy should get some new smaller clothes, as the ones in the pictures were hanging a little loosely. Friends, those ARE her new clothes! Actually, they are about a week or two old, and have already begun to bag. We can't keep up with it. Suzy is so tickled, though, that she is now able, for the first time in a couple of decades, to buy clothing from the Ladies' Department instead of from the Women's Department. What a joy that is for her. (Ladies, please explain to your husbands the difference between Ladies' and Women's Departments.)

What about the bittersweet afternoon? That was yesterday. Suzy dug into her closet and started checking out the clothing. She sorted out the garments with sizes including lots of Xs to be gotten rid of. She mourned the departure of so many of her wonderful old friends, clothing she had enjoyed wearing over the past several years. On the other hand, she is excited that she no longer has to wear those extra large sizes. It was a bittersweet time for sure.

Now those extra large garments, and she had some very lovely ones, will be going to Goodwill so that other ladies will have an opportunity for attractive wear at bargain prices.

So, how did all this happen? First of all a down-to-earth discussion with our daughters, both of whom had been worried about their mother's health. They asked if Mom had considered surgery. A question to our primary doctor gained us a referral to Dr. Burpee (what a wonderful name for a bariatic surgeon!), who agreed that Suzy was a candidate for the surgery. Then came consultations with a nutritionist, a psychologist and a cardiologist.

The surgery itself, on January 24, did nothing but give Suzy a tool to work with. The rest of it was her own determination and will to succeed. She was aided, of course, by support from family and friends. That support continues, and your wonderful response is a big part of it!

Surgery was one tool. Here's another: the Vitamix blender.

Step back in time with us. A couple of years or so ago, Al Bossence (of Bayfield Bunch fame) blogged about his special breakfast shakes, which consisted of what seemed to us some very odd ingredients. Lord, we thought, we'd never consider doing THAT! Now, we are looking at Al's concoctions a little differently.

The Vitamix is arguably the most powerful and fastest blender in the free world. with metal parts where other blenders have plastic, and enough horsepower to get our motorhome out of the mud if necessary. Its blades spin so quickly that anything left in the blender more than three or four minutes begins to cook from the friction. I kid you not, we actually made soup in it one evening! On purpose! And it was almost too hot to eat!

With this blender, Suzy can make the most wonderful tasting and nourishing shakes, and she's taught me how to do it also. Because she requires a certain amount of protein daily, and can't possibly get that from the quantity of everyday foods she can eat, she has a variety of whey-based protein powders in various flavors. The protein powders are added to a small amount of almond milk or soy milk (I usually use nonfat dairy milk) and an assortment of fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits. Spinach is a favorite due to its high iron content. Carrots and zucchini are frequent additions. Frozen strawberries or blueberries, frozen pineapple, frozen bananas (did you know you can freeze bananas? It's simple!) add nutrition as well as an icy chill. Fresh fruits are great also. Ice cubes go in for combined chill and liquid content.

One minute or so in the Vitamix, and there's a delicious and nutritious, if somewhat odd colored, morning or noon shake!

What else goes in? Anything you can imagine: Lite Chocolate ice cream syrup, a little blue agave for sweetening, instant coffee crystals, fiber powder, cocoa powder, flax seed, bell pepper, celery, yellow summer squash, kale,  green or red cabbage, apples, peeled oranges, peaches, nectarines, even a wee slice of fresh lemon or lime, including a bit of the rind. Juice du jour can be a base as well: V-8, tomato juice, apple juice, whatever!

Drop by some time, we'll give you a sample of what's helping us along ... Our Life on Wheels!