Today I flew an airplane for the first time since surgery. I was delighted to discover during preflight that the 50 lbs I've shed so far make even this easier - hoisting myself up onto the wing to check fuel, or clambering around under the nose, for example. I flew around Long Island, and across Long Island Sound to Bridgeport CT for a touch-and-go before heading back. I'm gaining more confidence talking to New York Approach.

Also yesterday, I had a Turkish mixed grill (kofte, gyros, kebab) with friends. Actually, I had maybe 3 oz of it, and 1 oz of hummus. After that, I felt stuffed, which makes sense since my surgeon told me my stomach capacity would be approximately 3-4 oz of solids. I didn't feel distended (which would mean running the risk of stretching my stomach) - just the kind of full it would have taken me a pound of meat and additional associated carbs to feel prior to the surgery.

When my friends and I were done (having between the three of us finished the mixed cold appetizer and the mixed grill) we wandered off to another part of Queens to an old-style Italian Ice parlor we sometimes frequent, where I had a sugar-free cherry and lemon ice. I tasted the pistachio, but it tasted too much like those old-style urinal mints smelled. :-) The cherry and lemon were perfect.

Additional good news. I had blood work done last Thursday. Despite being off metformin (my blood sugar medication), my HGA1C - a trailing indicator of blood sugar control, where 3-5.7 is normal - went from 6.1 to 5.8 over the past 8 weeks. My medicated fasting blood glucose was 117 at last test, and is now 99 - the top of but within the 'normal' range. This bodes well.

Weight: 283