Once Gene received word that his gastric by-pass surgery had been approved, he started planning the food funeral that would consume the foreseeable future. Knowing that the foods he loved would be essentially placed in the "pine box" and buried, he decided to spend time with each of them before their demise. Herewith, the "Skillet List" in the order of consumption (my apologies to Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman):
Oreo Pie
Grilled Burgers
Steak
Beef Stew/Slaw/Cornbread
Macaroni & Tomatoes
Fried Cabbage (he can still have this)
Goulash
My Chocolate Cake
Banana Split Pie
Apple Pie
Home Fries
Thanksgiving didn't prove to be near the challenge we thought it might be. I prepared the usual Wood family fare: chicken, dumplings, fried corn, etc. Gene put 1/4 cup of his most highly desired items on his plate and ate slowly. He couldn't begin to get it all down and was no worse for the lack. We spent the rest of the day watching football with the family and even visited at my Aunt Carol Lynn's house late in the evening where another spread was prepared. Gene nibbled at a few things and walked away, seemingly content to enjoy the family stories flowing around the room.
On Friday, I left Gene alone with a full refrigerator while I took my niece shopping. Inventory of the fridge upon my return indicated that Gene had been a good boy!
The highlight of my holiday and honestly, of the last 5 months 18 days since surgery was going to downtown Knoxville to celebrate the lighting of the Christmas tree at Krutch Park, check out the vendors and shops, watch the ice skaters and have dinner at Tomato Head with my sister, her husband and Hannah. We parked a mile from the sight, walked there, milled about for 3 hours and walked back to the car. Gene Wood walked all the way. There were no complaints, whines, grimaces or groans.
This is the life we have been waiting for.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Look Mom! I Can Tie My Own Shoes!
Memo to skinny people: have you ever thought about all the things fat people can't do? Things like tie their own shoes, fit into a restaurant booth, wear a belt, sit in a lawn chair, wear a seat belt, push a grocery cart around a store, dry their own toes...the list goes on (but some of you are too young :).
A lady came to school today to pick up her son. She couldn't come in and sign him out herself because she was too heavy to get out of the car and walk up the steps and into the office. I signed him out and took the signature slip out to her and indeed, this lady was quite huge. My heart went out to her and I wanted to ask her if she had ever heard of gastric by-pass.
Often when we see someone who is fat (and I am equally guilty of this) we assume that they are fat because they are lazy. Maybe they are "lazy" because they are fat. Put yourself in this scenario: you find yourself in water too deep for you and no one is around to hear any of your desperate cries for help. Just before you draw your last gasp into nearly water soaked lungs, someone comes up under you, lifts you to the surface of the water, heaves you out of the deep and onto dry land. Rolling onto your side,you cough and spit as you look into the eyes of your life-saver. Gastric by-pass is the life-saver for fat people.
Sure, maybe you have 20 or 50 or 80 pounds to lose and you just know you can do it. So do it already and shut up about it. But if you find yourself drowning in your own vicious cycle, gastric by-pass can break the cycle and provide the salvation you need.
So, two pieces of advice: 1)if you need help, get it and 2)stop judging fat people by your own warped determination of worth.
Oh, and the real reason you read this blog: Gene Wood, man-being-saved, has lost 110 pounds.
A lady came to school today to pick up her son. She couldn't come in and sign him out herself because she was too heavy to get out of the car and walk up the steps and into the office. I signed him out and took the signature slip out to her and indeed, this lady was quite huge. My heart went out to her and I wanted to ask her if she had ever heard of gastric by-pass.
Often when we see someone who is fat (and I am equally guilty of this) we assume that they are fat because they are lazy. Maybe they are "lazy" because they are fat. Put yourself in this scenario: you find yourself in water too deep for you and no one is around to hear any of your desperate cries for help. Just before you draw your last gasp into nearly water soaked lungs, someone comes up under you, lifts you to the surface of the water, heaves you out of the deep and onto dry land. Rolling onto your side,you cough and spit as you look into the eyes of your life-saver. Gastric by-pass is the life-saver for fat people.
Sure, maybe you have 20 or 50 or 80 pounds to lose and you just know you can do it. So do it already and shut up about it. But if you find yourself drowning in your own vicious cycle, gastric by-pass can break the cycle and provide the salvation you need.
So, two pieces of advice: 1)if you need help, get it and 2)stop judging fat people by your own warped determination of worth.
Oh, and the real reason you read this blog: Gene Wood, man-being-saved, has lost 110 pounds.
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