It is not how you fall down, but, how you get up.

That is what I have come to learn in my life. It is not how you fall down, but, how you get up. I have been knocked to the ground with more things than most people go through in their entire lifetime. And recently, I feel like a soldier in war making it through the battle on my belly crawling to get out of the line of fire.

I still get up. I dust myself off and believe that it will get better. I keep getting knocked down. But, there is great news about getting knocked down. That is where you learn most of your life lessons from. Humility, grace, patience, understanding, faith, amazing generosity from others. You realize that from the ground....the world is a much bigger place and there is still so much to do. Then, you get back up.

I know I don't talk a lot about the actual medical procedure from gastric bypass, nor what I am eating, or doing for exercise. I focus a lot on feelings. This kind of surgery is not a miracle wonder that I fear so many people do. It is a great tool to help us to get our lives back. For some, the road in getting back is on your stomach and on our knees crawling through the trenches. Trust me, just because you see that skinny model on the billboard saying you should try getting surgery... it is not as glamorous as that. I know the majority of people reading and even my doctors don't want to hear the bad stuff. We all want to hear the good stuff. But, I think it is good that I talk about what it has been for me. I hope and pray that everyone goes through it without a problem. But, sometimes... it may not.

My best advice to anyone that is considering this surgery..... have a great attitude. Most people have no trouble whatsoever. That is probably my surgeons dream. I am probably his nightmare :) But, if you believe that you will get better and you keep your mind sharp, I believe that you can get up each and every time that you get knocked down.

So, dust off the dirt and get back up.