Looking for Skinny Me...

Hi everyone! I'm new here and I just wanted to share my story and maybe make a few new friends. First of all, I'm one of the people that spent the first 35 years of their life being skinny. Then life slowed me down and I let it take over and the next thing I know I'm hanging out in the obese column! WHAT THE??? Who is this person in the mirror? What did she do with Skinny Me? Did she eat her? I have looked all over the house and in the car and I can't find her anywhere!

In the past year I have lost my father to brain cancer, my job dissolved in the recession, I have had to live with the roommate from, well you know, in order not to loose my house, and I'm working for half of what I use to make, but at least I have a job, right? So, in order to stop the train wreck that my life has become, at the ripe old age of 51, I have started back to college to become a Radiographer (X-Ray Tech). I'm moving out of my house and renting it out until the market turns around or until I graduate and get a real job with a real paycheck again. And I thought since I'm doing a makeover on my lifestyle why not do a makeover on the rest of me? So I'm trying to find Skinny Me again.

There's just one more problem in my life...I have a torn Achilles tendon. This means that treadmills and cycling are out. I'm doing lightweights for my upper body and I swim laps three times a week (I'm at a half a mile right now). I'm having surgery on June 11 for the tear (after spring quarter's over) and I would like to lose 40 lbs be fore the surgery so that I'm able to maneuver on the crutches a little better. I would greatly appreciate any advise on exercises that I can do with a bad heel. I know I have set a lofty goal but I feel hopeful about reaching it. Thanks foe listening to my story and if you see Skinny Me could you please tell her to go home!