poppycom's Journal, 02 Feb 18

Thanks to all my lovely FS friends for your support 🤗🤗

Had a bit of a tantrum followed by an epiphany.

Read through my journal.. in the last couple of years we’ve lost our business, avoided bankruptcy, been witnesses in a criminal court case..

I’ve had 4 surgeries , a with at least 2 more on the horizon. Many, many changes of medications, tests, a cancer scare, setbacks and frustrations.

I’ve been bullied at work and at home.
We all have our challenges to face.

But it’s done. It’s gone😁
I’ve just filed the final tax returns after 14 years of slogging as a newsagent.. it’s over.

I’ve accepted I have a chronic condition that will not get better and affects me from my head to my toes. I have read up on the menopause, as I was told last week I’m menopausal too ( I’m 46)

I’m prepared for a fight💪🏻

My kids don’t need me like they used to.. this weekend we are going out looking at cars for my older daughter, so she can learn to drive. She’s booked her theory test for half term holiday days.My younger daughter will start learning in November, when she is 17. My older daughter will go off to uni in September. They both have exams coming up, but they’ll do fine😁 I am proud of them and so blessed to have them 😁😁

My parents are reasonably fit and well for their age.. they are brilliant.. but I want to spend time with them and help them when I can .. so next Friday is my grandads anniversary and I am taking them to the cemetery to freshen up the graves and then out for lunch 🤗

My health will not drastically improve, but it dominates my life.. so I have decided I need some other interests:
I’ve joined an online book club
I’ve signed up for Gaelic lessons, which I learnt as a child- my daughters are very talented at languages and are very keen to help me.
I’m really interested in photography, so I have arranged to spend some time with a close friend who loves photography and hopefully progress to an evening class within the next couple of years...

No more dated targets, they frustrate and depress me and are really hard to manage with changing health/medications.

I will eat as much unprocessed and low carb food as I can, as I’ve learnt this definitely affects the inflammation in all the joints in my body..as do sugary foods🤔🤔

So I’ve done a lot of thinking, I need a new life and I have a plan

I now fit in size 12 jeans, don’t have to tuck my wobbly belly into my pants 😉,have been able to drive to unis all over the country,😁have increased my mobility and have less pain. I now dont always hide from the camera and I felt comfortable in my own skin at my cousins wedding. So I have to remember the NSVs are as important as the scales. I’ve learnt that from my FS friends and take pride in my achievements.

My weight history just gets me down, so I will keep this profile open, but am starting anew on FS as gaelicgal.. thanks to Doobs I have the info to set up a new bio and will get my daughters to help me with this over the weekend.

So when you get friend requests from Gaelic gal over the next week or so, please accept my new profile..

i couldn’t have got this far without my FS family and the support we give each other is fantastic

Thanks again and wishing you all a happy and successful weekend , my FS friends 🤗🤗🤗

80.9 kg Lost so far: 9.8 kg.    Still to go: 8.3 kg.    Diet followed: Reasonably Well.