An Open Letter

Dear Woman Within and Roaman's Catalog Centers,

Thank you so much for your support over the last decade. While it's been difficult finding clothing in your catalogs that aren't over embellished, bizarre colors, or strangely proportioned, at least I've been able to find clothing that covered my large frame. For the last 6 months or so you've been sending me "absolutely the last catalog" I'll ever get if I don't order. I haven't ordered. I still get the catalogs. I suppose I should not assume you'd stop sending them. After all, most people who stop ordering will eventually come back, because you're pretty much the only game in town for the super-plus sizes.

However, you can stop wasting trees and postage. I no longer will be ordering your products. You see, I'm now of a size where I can actually shop at stores. I now have the option of trying clothing on, finding clothing that looks good as well as fits correctly, and can shop places where the clothing is more fashionable, less expensive, and I don't have to pay shipping and handling.

Dear Woman Within and Roamans, We've had a good run, but I'm leaving you behind with that 150+ lbs of fat I've shed. I may never be shopping at 3-5-7 but please don't kid yourself: I'm not coming back.

I suppose this is where I'm supposed to say "thanks for the memories"... but let's not kid ourselves about that either.

Sincerely,
Fab Kate

Before/ During/ After

BEFORE	DURING	(HOPED FOR) AFTER
Walked with two canes	Walked without canes	running 5Ks
couldn't get into size 38 jeans	wears size 22 jeans	wear size 12 jeans
crawled up a single flight of stairs	jogs up a few flights of stairs	runs up several flights of stairs
No social life	Involved in volunteerism	makes new friends
Couldn't raise my legs high enough to get up step	Raises feet to shoulder height	doing "splits"
able to walk a couple blocks without pain	able to walk several miles without pain	walking marathons... better yet RUNNING marathons
wore frumpy stretch clothing	developing personal style	dressed to the 9's

Updated Before/ During Photo

updated with today's picture:



Here's the raw photo before color correction in photoshop:

Random Thoughts

Ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch. This morning I was totally down about going for more medical tests. This afternoon I'm pushing down fluid as fast as I can, but my side still hurts really badly. Now I'm glad I have a doctor appointment on Wednesday.

OMG... THIS:



I WANT I WANT I WANT! This goes on my Amazon Wish List for sure!

Why the heck do I keep thinking it's Tuesday?

Everyone is thrilled with the BodyBugg. I'd be thrilled with the average $200 it costs. With $200 I'd:

--buy a used dinning set AND
-- get a Christmas tree AND
-- buy a used coffee table AND
-- buy cat litter AND
-- maybe even get holiday dishes and some decorations at the thrift store

My kids darn well better be at basketball practice tonight, because they aren't here!

The closer it gets to the holidays, the lonelier I feel. I miss my friends in Rochester, my daughter in LA, and my son, who is just a couple miles down the road but as inaccessible as if he lived miles away.

and just as I thought that the phone rings and it's my son, looking for information about local programs to help him pay his bills. Sadly, he was too agitated for any social conversation.

Gee, this post looks sloppy.

I do NOT want to end up back in the hospital tonight... or any time this week. I've yet to finish packing, and I haven't notified the utilities of the move yet. I have too much to do to go back! If I could just put off being really sick another 10 days...

TMI: I'm sick and tired of peeling my stomach skin flap off my thighs a dozen times a day. I find myself fantasizing about reconstructive surgery.

TMI: Lately, I wonder if I'll ever have sex again. I hope so, because I don't want that last time, which was really unspectacular and maybe even a little gross, to not be my last memory of sex.