"Coming Full Circle"

:drinker: :drinker: Hey there everyone, welcome Tanya and Caliecat (marie) good to have you here with us. Congrats to all for a success weight loss. As you know keeping a journal is a big help and watching portions.
Assess and make notes of how you feel as well. In otherwords, cravings, days you are feeling full and totally satisfied. This can be a big help to you. When I have those awesome and satisfying days it really helps. If I am having and we all have them, those days where no matter what we eat, we aren't satisfied and feel we could eat everything in sight. Those days something is out of keelter, so it is good to review and see what we ate on those days we were totally on track and satisfied. Eat more of those choices and see if it doesn't make a different before you totally sabotage your week. Just an FYI.

Anyone wanting to share a tip you use, bring it as we all can learn from one another, its not a group if we don't share. :drinker::drinker: :drinker: :bigsmile:

Well I'll check back later, in the meantime, stay happy and healthy
Debbie

Good Morning Tanya, Ocean007, Maggie, Caliecat, and all that follow. Sorry I was MIA yesterday, got totally lost in the day..........friend in need, going to the park with 9 yr. old daughter, running errands, dodging raindrops....ah..................keep in mind that I am writing this to you all and its 4:41 A.M....couldn't sleep.

You see today is an exciting day for me. I am going to my new workplace to complete my NEW HIRE paperwork before starting my training on Monday, August 17th. This is exciting for me for many reasons and to give hope to anyone in need I will share why this is Such a Special Day!!!

For those of you that don't know me, here goes. In 1999 I was hired into a company where I began a new career. I became a collections representative for a major credit card company. Nope, this was nothing I ever thought I would find myself doing, and I've done lots of different jobs in my lifetime. Well my little one was born just a month prior of my starting this job and it was the best pay and work environment I had ever been in. Finally I felt respected and appreciated for my efforts. Life was great.

Well in 2003 out of nowhere I became ill. It started out that I just was having difficulty sleeping, and was always feeling run down. Then I began noticing that I was having trouble concentrating, and some of the simpliest of task became a real challenge. I knew something was wrong but didn't feel I had time in my busy lifestyle to address this, and frankly I thought it was something that with time would pass, like a flu bug. Well as time went on it became apparent to my co-workers and supervisor that I was ill, and not myself and I discovered I was not playing it off well. So I began seeing doctors.

Took awhile for one to take me serious enough to run test, refer me to a specialist and that ended up being a cardiologist and so I underwent all of his testing and he says to me, "Well lucky you, you have a strong and healthy heart dispite how ill you are". He refers me to a neurologist, and when I ask why he says, I believe you have Sleep Apnea. Well I never heard of such a thing, but I begin my homework of finding out all about this an so it began. More testing, and all this time I am getting even more ill, and nearly at death's door. I can't carry on a conversation, I can barely dress myself, I still am not sleeping, and what I thought was just a bug has lasted nearly a yr.

This illness lead me to loss of job, nearly financial ruin, and early retirement as I found myself applying against my own better judgement for disability. So for the last six yrs. I have treated my illness, and finally I am and can say recovered. Now the sleep apnea didn't go away, it still exist, but with the help of a bi-pap machine I am able to sleep, retain my memory, manage my life, and take care of my family. Its been a long road back and boy the lessons I have learnt about life, faith, patience, are endless. Throughout my illness I never lost hope of working again dispite what I was told when I began living a life less than what I longed for. :flowerforyou:

Well I can tell you the work I loved doing I will be doing again, for a different company but what is so unexpected and overwhelming is to learn that many of my former supervisors and co-workers are now at this company as well. Going back to work and beginning this new chapter in my life is well, as my interviewer for the job that recognized and remembered me said, its like a Home Coming!

So I'm glad to share with you that today is a very special day for me and its not the illness that has me up this morning its the excitement and anticipation of beginning something new and seeing old friends I have so missed.

I hope I am not boring you or appear to be bragging is not my intentions here. Ya know life sometimes throws us a curve ball. Its unexpected, seldom do we see it as a blessing, but my illness was. Yes you heard me right. Now I know your wondering how can an illness be a blessing. Let me just say that sometimes illness makes you stop and look at your life, it puts things in perspective, its sort of your Wake Up Call. I never was one to much take life for granted, or so I thought. Now I can say, I really embrace each day, I live it to the fulliest, I strive to form real and lasting relationships and give 100 percent of the best of me in all I do. I really care how I am perceived, I cry less, laugh and love more. Its been a long journey but I am glad for it in so many ways. Key lesson, never lose sight of your dreams, Dream Big!!!!

Thanks for listening, and make it a good day everyone!!! Welcome newbies..........please share whatever is on your mind, perhaps a time when your life came Full Circle, mine certainly has......
God Bless, Debbie

:drinker: Afternoon everyone, hope your day is going well. So what do you plan to do for your weekend? What challenges are you facing? What new discoveries have you made on a personal level or at this point and time into your healthier lifestyle?

Think about this and share!

Debbie

Tanya, thanks for sharing sounds like a fun weekend. That is great what you have discovered and keep looking for these new discoveries in your quest of a healthier happier you. Consider writing a journal and a yr. from now it will be a reflection or where you were and how far you have come in your journey, its pretty amazing.

Happy Sunday to you tomorrow.

Good Night all, see you tomorrow
Debbie:yawn: