How She Said No to Diabetes

When my friend Carrie Bond came to the Livin’ Sassy event a few weeks ago, she left with something she never thought she would; a size 8 pair of skinny jeans. She brought them back to our table with tears in her eyes. I asked her why she was so emotional. She said she hadn’t worn that size since junior high. At that moment, I knew I had to share her story with my readers.

There are so many women that are just like Carrie. The minute they become a busy mother and even busier employee, their own personal health and wellness take a back seat to all of their other responsibilities. Her life in recent years has become focused on raising her two adopted daughters. She and her husband Stacy are starting all over in raising kids after their older children have left home and married. They are even grandparents now! Their precious daughters are just now in pre-K and first grade.

She really wanted to get in shape not only for her health but for the practical purpose of chasing these young girls around. She would soon get a wake up call that she never expected.

While she was on vacation with her entire family at  Disney World, Carrie took a phone call from her doctor. She had recently been to his office for some extensive blood work because she hadn’t been feeling well. He would give her the diagnosis of diabetes. She was in shock.

After being given yet another medication that she would have to start taking along with high blood pressure medicine, she knew that she was going to start making some drastic changes. She wanted to be healthy not only for herself but for her family.

When she got back home from vacation, she started to do some research into different options. After going through some very rigorous screening processes and testing, she decided to have a gastric bypass procedure. After many years of dieting failures, she thought that this would be her best choice. She was well aware of the risk and the changes that she would permanently have to make in her life. She was now ready.

The actual surgery was the easy part. She has had to make some major changes in how and what she eats. She is very restricted in her alcohol consumption and has list of foods she can no longer enjoy. And she would do it all over again.

After six months, she has lost 90 pounds. She feels better and younger than she has in a very long time. Her husband calls her his new toy! But most important of all, she is no longer on any of her diabetes or high blood pressure medications. She works out at least 3-4 times a week. She is running circles around her daughters, well most of the time!

And I must say, she looks fabulous. This hasn’t been an easy journey for her, it has been a lot of work. She knows that it is a lifetime commitment of staying healthy and not going back to her old way of eating.

 

 

 

 

 

I met her in downtown Helotes to take some pictures in her new skinny jeans.

I loved every minute of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was oozing confidence with every single picture I took of her.

My bunco friend and stay at home Mom had been transformed with her weight loss.

And I couldn’t be more proud of her accomplishment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will always have a special connection with Carrie.

She recently lost her sister Tracy to cancer.

She went to heaven the exact same day as my mother.

And as both of our families prepare to be without a sister and mom this Thanksgiving holiday season,  I can’t help but think about how proud Tracy must be of her sister.

Carrie took control of her health at a very stressful time in her life. In Tracy’s loss, she realizes that she needs to be there not only for her young daughters but for  her entire family.

I am thankful that Carrie allowed me to share her story.

For it is through the triumphs and losses in our lives where we truly grow and appreciate one another.

And for this, I am eternally grateful.

I  hope  that my readers have a wonderful Thanksgiving day filled with an abundance of life’s blessings.

Stay Sassy Y’all.