The weekend of Chris’ birthday we all went up north. We all means, Matt, myself, Chris, Andrew, Paul, Beth, and the 2 dogs, Randy & Jack. To say the least it was crowded in the van!! We stayed in this small motel in St. Ignace, which was $32 per night. It was a bargain, and the place wasn’t that bad. We spent the weekend driving over the Mackinac Bridge repeatedly, and swimming in Lake Huron…. it was mighty cold in the beginning of June.
When we got home we celebrated Chris’ 3rd birthday. He got lots of nice gifts for his b-day. Grandma & Grandpa F. gave him lots of money, so we bought him his own swing set and it took 3 days to put together.
Grandma & Grandpa F. arrived from England on July 8th. We were all really nervous about that, but it worked out just fine. They stayed with us for the entire time. After they arrived, we spent a good exhausting evening with them at the Taylor Fireworks, which were really cool this year, but we picked a bad spot to view them from. Matt’s dad and Julie’s dad got a long great, and even promised us a limo ride that we never actually got to do.
On their first full day here we went to Henry Ford Museum. Matt’s dad was really interested in that, especially for the trains and steam engines. Chris really enjoyed that as well.
We went north AGAIN to Mackinaw City. While we were there we ventured to Mackinac Island and took the carriage tour and visited the fort. After that we went up to Lake Superior and took the glass bottom boat shipwreck tour. That was way cool and interesting. Chris really enjoyed himself the whole time. Our hotel was a little better. It was called Clearview Lakeshore Motel located on US 23. The beach was right out front, and they had fire pits and swings to sit on.
After we got back from Mackinaw, we rested for about 20 hours then headed off to Niagara Falls. His parents were really excited about that. When we got there, our hotel was a 32 story building and our rooms were located on the 27th & 28th floors. It was a spectacular room. Our hotel was the Sheraton Fallsview. When you looked out the window you could practically look down into the Horseshoe Falls. It made me very nervous though… I would not let Chris stand by the window. Our hotel room also had a king size VERY COMFY bed, and a fireplace. It wasn’t bad for about $250 per night. The day after we got there we did the usual stuff, the Maid of the Mist boat ride, the stupid Journey behind the Falls, and shopped on Clifton Hill. Too much walking!!!!!!
After staying in Niagara for 2 nights we came home, and we were all pooped. The following day we went to Greenfield Village, and took the train ride around and visited all the buildings. The day after that we went to the Detroit Historical Museum and looked at Old Detroit in the basement and a few other exhibits as well.
We have eaten out 28 times in the last 2 weeks and Im sick of food!!! We had our last breakfast together this morning, and we dropped them off at the airport. It was emotional for me, mainly for Chris’ sake because I didn’t know how to explain to him that his grandparents were in his life for 2 weeks straight, and now they are gone. We will see them again at Christmas though… which isn’t too far away… 5 months I think.
During this entire period, I am have been planning to get gastric bypass. I will be having it done on August 22nd… one month from today in Southern California. Why California? Because Im self-paying and it’s much cheaper out that way. Same quality of service though, which is important to me. It’s been hard trying to raise the $14,000 required for it, but I have it now. I need some extra prayers for me that I come through.
I’m at my last straw weight wise though. I have been preparing myself for this surgery for 5 years now. I’ve been denied 3 times by the insurance companies, and I figured the only way it would get done is to self-pay. I’ve attempted weight loss so much in the last year and nothing works. The minute I get sick, and go off of it for a few days I gain the weight back. Weight loss surgery isn’t a solution though, it’s only a tool.
I want people to understand and not criticize me. This is NOT an easy way out as some people have come to know it. This is NOT cheating. And really if there was an easy way out and a cheat, I would do it anyway. Who cares about cheating to lose weight as long as you do it? However, this is anything but easy and cheating. It is the hardest thing anyone could ever do. It is painful, you can’t eat normal ever again, and you are forced into a lifestyle change. That’s what I like about it. There is a small risk of death, about 1% but as I read, it’s about the same for any abdominal surgery. That fear is present in my mind though. I do not want to die, but at the same time if I don’t do anything now, I could die from co-morbidities in the future. Co-morbidity is an illness or side-effect directly related to being overweight. Examples would be a heart attack, stroke, heart disease, sleep apnea, diabetes (even though I already have it), and more.
Ok well Ive written enough for now… it’s been a long 2 weeks and Im glad to have a break!!! I will update more as my surgery nears…