OK, I think this might be the last of my vacation 2014 blogs, or not.  You can always hope.  I think the most incredible moment for me on my tour of Alaska, Victoria BC, and Washington state had to be the helicopter to the glacier and the walk/hike around the glacier.  Was it because of its beauty?  Yes.  Was it because trees that were over 100 feet tall that we sped by, seemingly in their branches looked to be no bigger than 8 or 10 feet?  Yes.  Was it because Alaska mountains, glaciers, lakes, fjords are some of the most beautiful places I have ever visited?  Yes.

Was all of this REALLY why it was the most incredible moment on the trip for me?  I had seen this all before in the year 2000 when I had previously visited.  It still was as spectacular; it still carried its entire WOW factor, but none of this was the REAL reason.

This was a Non Scale Victory for me of the BIGGEST dimensions.  Fourteen years ago when I climbed, no struggled to crawl up into the helicopter and place my huge body on the two seats I had to buy for it, then have a seat belt extension added, then have a door closed on me that made me feel like an overstuffed sardine in a can, I still enjoyed the views only available from the helicopter.  When we landed on the glacier I struggled to get out of the helicopter and walk far enough away from it so it could take off and leave us in the peace and quiet that only thousands of years’ worth of ice could provide.  That was as far as I would walk.  I was terrified.  I was terrified that I would fall on the ice and it would take an army to get me up; I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to get back into the helicopter when it came back for us.  Even looking around me and being awestruck by the majesty of my surroundings could not diminish that fire of fear that was burning inside.  MAJOR BUZZ KILL!

Fast forward to the year 2014.  I bought 1 seat, wore a size Medium safety vest (brightly colored so we could be seen if we got lost or fell in somewhere I presume; strapped on my glacier boots and literally hopped effortlessly into the helicopter.  I strapped myself in, helped with the door closing, put on my headphones and opened my eyes wide and just enjoyed the vistas and the pilot’s chatter.  NO FEAR.  We arrived and set down and I removed myself from the helicopter with the same ease and walked over and grabbed a walking stick and was ready to go.  I walked/hiked with the rest of the group, made a silly face for the picture at the big hole in the ice and generally had a great time.  ME.  I DID IT.  I truly was given a second chance at life to be able to enjoy moving freely, no longer constrained by my obesity, in my normal size everything, toasty and warm.  When it was time to leave the glacier and get back into the helicopter for the flight back I almost froze my tonsils (if I had any) because my mouth was open in a HUGE SMILE.  Then I stepped back up into the helicopter, strapped in, put on my headphones and the tears began to flow.  As I write this I am getting misty all over again.  This is a very emotional tale for me to tell.

I am grateful beyond words for this opportunity at a second chance to live and to truly EXPERIENCE LIFE with freedom.  All of this, thanks to a device “buckled” around my stomach and my hard work over the past 10 years.  Weight Loss Surgery Saved My Life.