Archives for June 2013

Being SUPER is not SUPER.

June 26, 2013 by Sarah Bramblette 4 Comments

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s SUPER SARAH!

SUPER MORBIDLY OBESE

It’s when you’re so FAT you’re past the standard Morbidly Obese category and are now SUPER Morbidly Obese. SMO is having a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 50 or over.

Why SUPER? Trust me it’s not SUPER. Especially not for me. Please do not read this wrong. I am me, I LOVE me, others love me. BUT it’s frustrating when many do not understand or relate to my situation.

As much self confidence as I have, I’ve actually never felt like I “fit in”. I’m unique, yes. That’s me. I can relate to well to others, I have always had many friends and acquaintances. I was never a part of the popular crowd in school, but I also wasn’t shunned or teased a lot like many overweight or obese kids. I was a band geek, I had my crew, I mean I was a DRUMMER…drummers are cool. Except I played the xylophone which meant I was on the sideline, so avoided the whole “marching” part of marching band. So I wasn’t really a part of the drum line, I actually sucked at keeping a steady beat, but I could whack them mallets. WATCH OUT!

It’s a theme throughout my life. I’m sorta part of the group, I can relate, but not completely. We often think everyone of certain groups should “get along” after all they have a shared common experience. Um…just look at families and you’ll understand why that theory is not true.

It’s especially not true in the world of obesity or weight loss surgery. While I have been obese 34 out of 35 years of my life (I was born a relatively normal 8lbs), I will say I have been a “member” of the obesity/weight lose surgery community for nearly a decade. That was the time I was exploring having RNY gastric bypass and joined an online weight lose surgery community. At first is was an AWESOME experience, I met so many other people LIKE ME, struggling with weight and seeking a solution. I met several people who had surgery with the same surgeon I would have and was able to find out specifics about his post-op expectations and support. The site, the community support was very helpful. Throughout the years I have made many wonderful, and now long time friends from the internet.

However, I also discovered the harsh reality of judgement within the WLS community. Since my highest weight was 502lbs, even losing a HALF my body weight, still left me in the Morbidly Obese category. I was once blamed for “eating myself THAT fat”, by a fellow WLSer. Well, isn’t that nice and understanding and supportive. Of course, I also have Lipedema, which I did not know before undergoing WLS. So I’ve never been a SUCCESSFUL weight loss surgery patient, since I never reached “goal”, then I also regained 100lbs. So I must not be following the “rules”. Bad Sarah, such a failure.

Well a failure to people who measure success by weight and size. Not everyone thinks that way, as a matter of fact there is an entire Fat Acceptance movement. Fat Acceptance, where the name guarantees I’ll be accepted among them because I’m FAT, right?

Wrong.

I prefer Me Acceptance as I know many normal sized women who struggle with accepting themselves. I accept me and my fat, but I was also in denial about my HEALTH for many years. However, I’ve found that among the FA community I am judged because I had weight loss surgery. I attempted to not be fat, so I turned my back on the cause? Trust me baby got plenty of “back” to spare. I also have a different perspective about obesity being categorized as a disease and considered a disability. Those beliefs are based on my own personal experiences. I understand the fear and concern with negative labels, but I am also aware of the rights and power such labels can provide when needed. Sadly, I have needed both in my life, and to those who don’t understand, be thankful you’ve never been in the situations I’ve faced.

I feel like I’m stuck between two “communities” whose intentions are ones of empowerment and support, and yet because I do not fit specific expectations I am not fully accepted or understood. All I ask is before judging try to consider the other person’s perspective. I blog to share my story, I know I risk judgement by putting personal information out for public interpretation. I’m willing to take the risk for the chance to open some minds and eyes.

More awareness, to me, that would be SUPER.

Donate to Walk from Obesity and I Will Walk in My Swimsuit

June 18, 2013 by Sarah Bramblette 1 Comment

$1000 Goal = Me walking in Swimsuit

Last year at the Walk from Obesity in Dallas, TX is was unusually COLD. Note the sweatshirts!

This year I will once again be walking as a member of Melting Mama’s BBGC Team in the Walk from Obesity during #YWM2013 in Phoenix, AZ…. in AUGUST, so I expect much warmer weather! If I reach my goal of $1000 in donations by the morning of the walk, August 18th! I will WALK IN MY SWIMSUIT (and tutu).

Yes, the issue of possible thigh chaffing has been brought to my attention. I’ll be sure to pack extra Johnson & Johnson Pure Cornstarch Baby Powder. No worries!

The only thing I’m worried about is deciding which swimsuit to wear, I have close to 20!!!

Top 5 Reasons YOU Should Attend OAC’s #YWM2013

June 13, 2013 by Sarah Bramblette 3 Comments

This year the Obesity Action Coalition is hosting the 2nd Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention, August 15-18 in Phoenix, AZ. I guarantee it will be a life changing weekend! In an attempt to convince you, I have listed my Top 5 Reasons You Should Attend #YWM2013.

#5 – YOU will MOVE during the fitness classes. A variety of fitness classes will be offered during the conference so if you already have an exercise routine the trip will not interrupt your activities. If you have yet to find a workout you enjoy this is the PERFECT opportunity to TRY new exercises in an accepting environment. Last year I attended the Yoga class, to my surprise I already OWNED the instructors DVD, I had just never attempted it. Now that I have participated in the class I am more confident in doing the moves correctly at home. Perhaps you are not quite ready for a structured fitness class or “hello, I don’t exercise on ‘vacation'”, that’s o.k. you will still MOVE during the Sunday morning Walk From Obesity.

If you are not able to participate in the Walk From Obesity, please support my participation by making a donation in my name.

#4 – YOU will MEET people just like YOU. No matter where you are on your journey to health there are others who are right there, or have been there. I have been to several weight related conferences in the past 9 years and have met many wonderful people, and made several friends like my pals Eggface and MeltingMama, and yet at each new event I attend I meet and make new friends. Do not be afraid about “being alone” at the event, I assure you, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. We are all in this together, and we are stronger when we join our voices and stories with the OAC. Plus you never know when some weird chick who eats ketchup on her boiled egg asks if she can sit with you at breakfast. <— That was me making a new friend, Asha.

#3 – YOU will EAT Lunch with the Experts. Last year I made the mistake of not signing up for Lunch with the Experts, I thought lunch time might be a good time to give my lipedema legs some rest. I quickly realized what I was missing out on, and was able to sign up for an open lunch spot on site at the conference. So if in doubt I suggest SIGN UP NOW…many Lunch with the Experts sessions are already FULL. This lunch gives you the chance to discuss important topics in a small (approx 10) group setting with an expert in the field. Click on the image to view the #YWM2013 Agenda with a list of Lunch with the Experts topics:

#2 – YOU will DANCE. Yes, you will! As I mentioned in #5, this is your chance to try new things in an open, accepting, non-judgement environment. Friday night’s Welcoming Event with be a! So use your imagination to come up with a really awesome costume, or just come as you are. Just be there, and shake your groove thing! And see if I can keep my title as reigning costume winner! I won as Honey Boo Boo last year, complete with Go Go Juice and Glitzy!

#1 – YOU will ADVOCATE for Obesity! I strongly encourage you to attend the Advocacy Training. It was by far my favorite part of attending the Inaugural Your Weight Matters Conference in Dallas, TX. Even if you are not able to participate in the Advocacy Training you are still advocating just by attending the #YWM2013. Sharing your story with others, empowering yourself to pursue your health goals, fighting against weight bias and stigma are all important pieces of advocacy. Advocacy against weight stigma and bias is one of the main reasons I joined the Obesity Action Coalition. You can read my story, The Part I Want: Advocate in the Your Weight Matters Magazine 2013. Watch my personal testimonial about the Inaugural YWM Conference.

But most of all ATTEND #YMW2013 because YOUR Weight Matters!!!!

If my Top 5 Reasons successfully convinced you to register for #YWM2013 Convention, contact the OAC in writing at convention@obesityaction.org and tell them Sarah from Born2lbFat referred you so I can be entered into the YWM2013 Recruitment CHALLENGE. Thank you in advance!!!!

Orange Juice Cereal – Breakfast of Persistence

June 7, 2013 by Sarah Bramblette 2 Comments

I broke my blog yesterday. Well my friend made me break my blog. I was woken up by her text informing me I needed to permalink my urls. Whatever that means. No, she made sure to explain why I needed to do so, and included a helpful link to how to complete the task. I am above average computer savvy, and if I don’t know how to do something I will tinker and Google until I figure it out. My boyfriend is my IT department, he supports my desire to blog and kindly did the work to put my blog on a server and get me “set up”. While he is helpful, and a go to person when there are issues, I want to learn and understand this blog stuff on my own. So permalink url – I got this!

Click here, click there and bam DONE. I’m on separate IMs with friend and boyfriend. I quickly ask my friend to check a link for me. At the same time I proudly let boyfriend know of my new blog geek tech savvy status. Except well…404 Error. Yeah, as friend is telling me the link didn’t work. Boyfriend replies “can’t do that on the fly, it will give your links errors”. Yeah, now you tell me. And hey if you’re my IT why wasn’t this DONE when you set up my blog? And where’s my owner’s manual? I can go zero to frustrated in seconds. He actually teases me about how “someone so motivated and determined can get frustrated so easily”. He then says, “I’ll fix it tomorrow…off to class then work.” TOMORROW? I quickly, undo what I did and asked friend to check link and whew my blog was back to working order. I apologized to boyfriend, *slapped my hands* for messing around with my blog and told him I’d go eat my orange juice cereal.

Orange juice cereal? Yes, orange juice cereal, the breakfast of persistence. Ok, really the breakfast of impatience.

When I was three (yes I have a VERY good memory of my childhood, of everything really), my dad was making me breakfast one morning. He had poured me a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice but something distracted him before he could put milk on my cereal. Since I could not pour the gallon of milk by myself (I might have spilled that and made a mess), I opted instead to pour my glass of orange juice on my cereal. Liquid is liquid right? Of course, my dad was not happy and would not let me waste the cereal so I had to eat it, orange and all. To this day I do not like orange juice.

So I started thinking, WOW, I was that impatient at age 3? Patience is not a virtue I have, I know this, it’s weird to look back and see evidence of such trait when I was a toddler. I struggle with finding a balance between if you want something make it happen, and “anything worth having is worth waiting for”…I mean which is it? I know it depends on the situation. And it is a balance. Most of all try to gather as much information as possible and make an informed decision. My frustration typically stems from me doing JUST THAT and things still not working. Tech stuff is the worse, I once took a website design course and it put my laptop in a lot of danger of going out the window on several occasions.

Yes, I can be impatient but it’s because I’m doing the work to get things done, so I want it done and I want to do it correctly. I’m not just sitting around waiting for good things to come to me, I’m seeking them out, inviting them in. I’m researching, I’m learning, I’m trying. When I think of all I’ve learned through the challenges I’ve over come I realize with every struggle I build upon my skill set.

My mentor once said of me “a challenge is just Sarah’s next accomplishment.” True. I might get frustrated, I might need to ask for help and guidance but in the end I will succeed.

So maybe every once in awhile I have to “eat my orange juice cereal”, wouldn’t it be worse to go through life hungry?

I Support The Lymphedema Treatment Act

June 6, 2013 by Sarah Bramblette 9 Comments

In 2010 I shared My Story in support of The Lymphedema Treatment Act. The bill did not make it through the congressional process at that time and must be re-introduced. I am committed to using my newly acquired advocacy skills to help make this act a LAW.

WHY THIS LEGISLATION IS NEEDED:

Lymphedema is a non-curable but treatable medical condition that results in an accumulation of lymph fluid swelling in parts of the body where lymphatic vessels and/or lymph nodes are damaged, nonfunctional or inadequate. Lymphedema affects an estimated 5-6 million Americans, with the majority of cases caused by cancer treatment.

Untreated, or under-treated, lymphedema is progressive and leads to increased morbidity. Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) is the gold standard and only known course of treatment for lymphedema. CDT is a multi-modal treatment that is only effective when used in its entirety.

Medicare currently covers all but the most critical component, the medically necessary compression supplies used daily in lymphedema treatment, citing they do not fit under any existing benefit category. As a result, many patients suffer from recurrent infections, progressive degradation in their condition and eventual disability because they cannot afford the compression supplies required to maintain their condition.

WHAT THIS LEGISLATION WILL DO:

Although this legislation relates specifically to a change in Medicare law, it would set a precedent for Medicaid and private insurers to follow.

Specific goals of the Act are:

Provide comprehensive lymphedema treatment coverage, according to current medical treatment standards;

Enable patient self-treatment plan adherence by providing necessary medical supplies for use at home, as prescribed for each patient (including gradient compression garments, bandages, and other compression devices);

Allow for new treatment modalities to be considered for coverage as they become available and are approved;

Reduce the total healthcare costs associated with this disease by decreasing the incidence of complications, co-morbidities and disabilities resulting from this medical condition.

In case you need a refresher on how the process works:

A quick one-page reference on the Lymphedema Treatment Act. To get involved visit: http://lymphedematreatmentact.org/

June is Lipedema Awareness Month

June 3, 2013 by Sarah Bramblette 8 Comments

June is Lipedema (Lipoedema in UK/AUS) Awareness Month so I thought I’d post some helpful information and resources. I recently found many of these pages and Facebook groups and finally feel like I belong, there ARE others out there who understand.

WebMD (we’re FINALLY on WebMD) describes Lipedema as a condition that affects up to 11% of women. It occurs when fat is deposited abnormally beneath the skin, usually in the buttocks and legs. Although it begins as a cosmetic concern, it can progress to cause pain and other problems.

Excellent video: