This is a very personal post and because I believe in transparency, I would like to share the following…

I have been anxious to get back to blogging, public speaking, and writing for some time. But as some of you might know if you follow my personal and semi-professional twitter feeds, that I have been dealing with a multitude of personal crisis which have for the moment subsided. This absence is the reason I was unable to attend Gov 2.0 Camp in LA, which I was really looking forward to attending.

In mid-December 2009, I decided to finally put my health first and get a Gastric Bypass (RNY). I have been struggling with weight issues since my honorable discharge from the Army in 1998. I am a disabled American Veteran and I had suffered multiple injuries while in service. As such, these injuries and the medicine to help me cope contributed to a weight gain I was unfamiliar with. I spent 2/3 of my life being mostly underweight. Encouraged by family to eat more — I was never a big eater.

In 2008, I learned I had developed Osteo-Arthritis in both of my knees not only as a result from carrying too much weight, but as a result of how physical I once was before all the injuries. My damage from the injuries were common for a woman who had been a runner/basketball player, as I was both before and after high school. In early 2009, I had learned I had multiple esophageal ulcers, a hernia, and GERD. All of which my doctors attributed to stress. Not to mention adding to the problems of comorbidity. I decided this was my final straw and the weight had to come off.

I started looking into Weight Loss Surgery in 2007. But all the surgeries seemed too severe. I tried again weight watchers and other online monitoring tools. I would lose some, but it always came back. In Spring 2009, I started seeing a professional nutritionist in McLean, whom I have recommended to others. She put me on the right track and got me ready for surgery.

Many of my friends have been asking me questions of my progress and asking for pictures. I promise you that is coming. I am planning a public reveal at the WIRe Conference next week at the Gaylord National on February 24-25. As of this post I am 43lbs lost at day 63 of recovery. I have already been fitting and wearing clothes I bought myself and never had a chance to wear.

In other news, my family has recently gone through a very sad loss. My Aunt Claudia Romeo, who was also my Godmother and very close to my heart passed away on February 7, 2010 after being summoned by the Angels to end her battle with Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). She was a careerist in the Foreign Service of the US State Department. Two weeks before her death, we were told that she would not be with us much longer and so during the first of the two snow storms, we were able to say our last goodbyes and tell her how much we loved her. The service for her memory was held this past Valentine’s Day at our family Church, Oxon Hill Lutheran. So please take a moment to kiss and hug your loved ones. They can never hear this enough.

All in all, you can tell that I have had a trying two months mentally, emotionally, and physically. I have been battling personal depression and weakness when it comes to dealing with my recovery and the loss of someone so close. Luckily, friends and colleagues have been so supportive in this time of confusion for me. I am also lucky that last year I met someone special in my life that finally can be a partner to me rather than just a boyfriend. So Joe Higgs, you have been a rock, a nurse, and a HUGE help when it comes to making life a little easier.

And back to my weight loss adventure and new life, an even MORE public reveal will be this year at SxSW in Austin, TX. I may not be able to indulge in the drinking and the BBQ (maybe just a taste), but I will be able to participate in many sessions and reconnect with the online relationships I have been fostering for years. So if you happen to be in Austin for Geek Spring Break as well, please come find me — I know it might be harder to spot me, since there is less of me to go around

I am now back to work full time (if snow days allow for it) and I am focused on a real busy spring in public appearances, writing, and working with my wonderful customers. So my sincerest apologies, if you have called, emailed or tweeted looking for me in the past two months. I look forward to renewing our connections.

It came to me today while sitting in Church with my Grandmother this morning, why I love stone houses. The back wall where the cross hangs is made of stone and the roof is of simple wood. This simplistic clean design has stuck with me my entire life, as this is the very church where my parents married and I was baptized. If I would want to get married and have kids (and at this point in my life I still feel strongly that I don’t want those things), I would do so in this sacred place.

Now I wouldn’t say I am a religious person or that this is a religious blog post, but more of a spiritual reminder. I will say that I was born, raised, and confirmed as a Lutheran (Missouri Synod) and to this day I am still a part of that belief. I do believe there is a God, because God knows I prayed to him in High School about a certain ex-boyfriend who remains in my heart to this day.

Not being a regular at Sunday services I didn’t know until I was in the thick of it that things have changed. We do the sign of the cross now if we want it and we read through service with something called “Matins” with Holy Communion.

I am always happy to see Pastor Schnepp and he genuinely appears the same to me. I had last seen him at the church’s Oktoberfest function last weekend in Mayo, MD at the Old Stein Inn. (You know us German Lutherans love to eat and drink). Before getting so distracted with my uneven work/life balance, I used to help the Pastor fix his computers. I hadn’t gotten any calls in a while so I hope they are running OK.

Pastor Schnepp’s sermon was on target for the elections and the state of the economy, reading from Matthew 22:15-22.

Now if I tried to capture what my Pastor said in words in my blog it would not do his oration and delivery justice. I share this moment in my life with you as I feel that I do want to become more involved in the church as a do a little more fixing of my work/life balance. I wanted to use my blog platform as a way to bring attention to my little church on Brinkley Road.

I attended the voter’s meeting after with my Grandmother, who is a voting member of the church. The church in which I am an actual member disbanded years ago in Columbia, MD. or so I hear. I haven’t lived there in almost a decade. In the meeting I learned about the Compassion Center [which I will address in a subsequent post] and the membership and attendance.

Now I know we are a small church and I am not trying to convert or anything of the sort here. I just wanted to let others out there know of this place, not just a place of worship, but much much more in offering help and assistance, spiritual and other wise, if you are in the Southern Maryland/Washington DC area.

You can find out more about Oxon Hill Lutheran Church by visiting their website http://ohlcms.org/