Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Engagement Party Pics

Erin & Louie's Engagement Party 10.21.06 Peppercorn's Hicksville, New York


Alana & Tom


Alana & I


85% of the bridal party


The SUNY Purchase girls. Erin, Alana, & I


Louie, Tom, Ally, Me, Erin


Cassandra (Erin's baby sister)


John & I


Louie & I


Melissa (Erin's other sister), Me, Cassandra


Erin & I (what was I looking at)


Erin & I


The Cake - The filling was half chocolate pudding & half cannoli filling


Tom & I


The Groomsmen



October 24, 1992

Today is the 14th anniversary of my bat-mitzvah. Wowie Zowie.

My theme for my party was amusement parks. It was the best party ever. I loved the balloon arch. I think my friends & I inhaled a great deal of helium that night. There was a fortune teller and balloon artist for the cocktail hour. My parents got a band. It was just amazing. Maybe I wll post some pictures later!

The dress that I wore to temple was purple. The dress for my party was purple. I want to fit into these dresses again someday. I was 12.5 years old. 5 feet tall & 140 lbs. I am now 5'3 and my goal weight is 130 lbs... so it could happen!

I was in 7th grade at The Middle School. Jeremy was my boyfriend. We were together for a year and half. I loved The Grateful Dead (I guess some things don't change.) Molly was/ still is my bestest buddy. Suzanne and I shared a passion for white rubber mice named harry and a love of The Beatles. I wanted to be an animator for Disney, doing backgrounds and special effects animation. This is still my dream.

I guess time flies, but not everything changes. I used to fear change. I wanted everything to stay the same. Well, fortunately I enjoy change now. It can be hard. But, it is important. I am not the same Marla I was 14 years ago. Some things are the same. But, I grew up and learned to love myself. I am more happy now, then ever before. I believe that things I experienced in my past helped to make me the person I am today. I love the Marla that I am today. I would never want to trade back... but I respect who I was and the choices I made. We can not change the past... but we can learn from it to better our future.

Happy bat-mitzvah anniversay Marla. Look how far you have come. Your future is bright! I am sooo proud of you.

Love,

Marla

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Disney World

The fam & I went to Disney World the week of Labor Day in September. We went in celebration of my weight loss (so far). I weighed 260lbs at the time of the trip, I think!

Of course I decide 2 days before we leave that I am going to use the bathroom on the plane... just to see if I fit. Why not, right? I had used the bathroom on a greyhound bus summer of 2005 & I almost got stuck in the doorway and I went in sideways!

So the day comes to go to Disney. We board the plane and guess what... Marla didn't need a seatbelt extender! I could pull that belt so that there was a bit of a tail! I didn't need it pulled all the way open. Halfway thru the flight I of course have to go potty. I walk down the aisle to the bathroom... Oh, yeah... I didn't bang against arm rests as I walked by. Not only did I fit in the bathroom, I had enough room to turn around and do a happy dance!!! It was soooo cool!

My buddy Paula knew I was planning on seeing if I could fit into the plane bathroom. So of course, I had to call her as soon as I got off the plane & tell her the good news! Nothing like good times on the phone with Paula!

So Disney rocked! I fit on every ride I wanted to go on! I am sooo a ride person & it had been so long. And I was able to walk... we walked miles each day. I am not saying it was totally easy as I am still heavy - But it was sooooo doable. It was hot & humid & I loved it. I was walking, sweating, having a blast, and just being me! I was living again! It was such a great trip. The new Aerosmith Rocking Rollercoaster - Rocked my world!

Of course on the flight home I used the plane bathroom too, just for kicks!

So behind...

So even though I have been blogging, I neglected to post on some big things. How did that happen? Can I blame the gallbladder and the percocet?

Thursday, October 05, 2006

3 little fishies

Oh grandma... You know I wish I was seeing you and grandpa this weekend. I remember you watching me swim when I was little and you calling me a little fish. I remember you singing the 3 little fishies song & then teaching it me. I love The Andrew Sisters because of you. Oh the fun we had. I will always remember & love you!

I miss you lady! A million kisses!

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Postponement

It is taking longer then I thought to organize my thoughts for my heros series. I promise it is coming, so please stay tuned.

Surgery Re-cap

So Momsie & Dadsie took me to the hospital on Friday. Anton (my cabbage patch kid) & I were ready. We all waited in the waiting room. Good thing I brought a book. Can't Wait to Get to Heaven, Fannie Flagg's new book. Oh my gawd I love her. Daisy Faye & The Miracle Man is one of my fav books. Finally, after an hour I was called. I changed into my johnnie... it was enormous! Put on my hospital issued socks, gave a urine sample, then I hopped onto my guerney with Anton.

Everyone that walked by asked me about him. He is a cutie. Then the anesthesiologist can by. Well, my mom arranged to have a family friend do it. Jeff has served as anesthesiologist for my brother's surgery, some for my mom & for my breast reduction. He is great! I told him that I have full faith in him. But, he needs to make sure that I stay asleep & wake up when I need too! He smiled!

Then Dr. B came and spoke to me. I told him I was fine & ready. Bring it on! I also told him I wasn't worried & that I had full faith in him. Then jokingly I told him to make me proud. He laughed and said I sounded like his dad! I asked Dr. B if I could take home any souvenirs from the surgery? He said he would send me home with some of my stones! I was all excited!

Next was the fun part. Trying to start my IV. Marla had/has no veins. I had bad veins before chemo. However, chemo killed whatever veins I had left. Only my left arm can be used. And, my veins have a mind of their own. I swear, that they roll out of the way of the imposing needle. Joan wrapped my arm in a hot towel for about 20 minutes. This helped. After a bit of waiting she found a vein. She injected some numbing stuff so I wouldn't feel the sting of the needle. She got the needle into the vein on the first try.! Wahoooo.

Then it was time to go into the ER!

I woke up in recovery very nauseaus! I was more nauseaus after GB. However, this was not a fun feeling! And I had some pain. I found out that I had no hernias and I only had 4 more little incisions! The nurse showed me my 2 stones. One seemed enormous! There is a reason I wanted to take them home. Will share that in a future post. After, a bit of time in recovery it was decided that I would spend the night at the hospital as I wasn't feeling well & looked a bit pale!

They brought me up to my room. I had a couple roomates. Then my parents came up. I gave them the container with my stones to take home. They were surprised by the size of the large one. I dosed a bit. Then went for a walk around the hallway. That felt good. Watched some tv. Then I called Molly (my bestest buddy) to let her know I was spending the night. Then it was time to call Buffy!

I was feeling pretty good. The morphine was working and I felt like chatting on the phone. So we chatted for a bit. I wanted to know how her medical stuff went! Then I asked for some apple juice and some crackers. They brought me some graham crackers. I felt better after I ate then drank!

I went for another walk around 12:30 am. Slept for a bit. In the morning the Dr. came by. Dr. B was off so one of the guys that works with him stopped by to see how I was doing! Then my IV was taken out. Which was nice since the site was starting to get sore. I gave myself a towel bath in the bathroom. Then I put my clothes on myself. Then I hung out till breakfast, watching tv. My parents came and hung out with me. I then found out I was going to be discharged after lunch to make sure I could keep down food. More tv watching and chatting with Momsie & Dadsie. Ate some lunch, then was cleared to go home!

Oh, I almost forgot. Anton got a hospital bracelet too. And he has steri-strips on him in the same spots as mine! I love that!