Seven Year Surgiversary!
26 January 2016
Seven years ago today, while we were still in Virginia Beach, I made the decision to undergo Gastric Bypass (with a vertical band in addition) Surgery.
Here I am now, still down over 200 lbs and only having gained back five pounds of the 206 lb I originally lost. Sure, I've gone up and down over the last five years of that, but I've come back down again every time.
I've had my share of health problems, some completely unrelated to surgery, some related but not serious, and some potentially life-threatening complications. But I'll be 40 this year, and I intend to have many more birthdays after that!
Ultimately, I'm glad I had "Drastic Bypass," as I always call it, because my quality of life at my max weight of 341.3 lbs was virtually non-existent. My health was exceedingly poor, and I was quite suicidal. It was just badness all the way around, and of course, I had tried various and sundry other "normal" ways to lose weight, unsuccessfully. It's NOT the easy way out, as those of you who have undergone similar operations realize.
The only time I was able to lose any quantifiable amount of weight was the first time I went on Weight Watchers. Sophia was a mere babe then, only about 4-8 months, and I was of course breastfeeding her. I lost quite a bit of weight, but I my milk also dried up as a result of my low caloric intake. I had to stop dieting so she could nurse. Don't poo-pooh that, either, because it was crucial for me to be able to bond with all of my babies in that way.
Of course, I exercised! I have always loved rollerblading and did plenty of that. I did yoga and Pilates. In fact, two weeks after I had Sophie, I was back to my hardcore Pilates workout and split open my c-section incision. Yeah, my floor was a disgusting mess, and I had to go back to the hospital... but I was gung-ho, man!
Anyway, all of this has a point: If you're considering bariatric surgery, take ALL the time you need to figure out whether and which one is the right choice for you. There are serious financial costs, and you're rewiring some pretty MAJOR organs. A ton of risks are involved. It hurts. It's depressing. There is a grieving process afterward. You need a lot of support. And so on... I recommend the website www.ObesityHelp.com for anyone at any stage of the process.
Thank you to the many, many of you who have supported me through this long process - especially Rob and the kiddos. Without you, I'd be lost.
♥
Fin.