Photos
I'm Not In Any Photos Yet.
Before & AfterThere are currently no before and after photos for this member. See these instructions if you wish to submit your own Before & After photos.
Goals
2 People in progress, 0 People achieved this |
|
Hello there and welcome to my OH webpage! My name is Andrea and I am a happily married 34 year old mother of 5 beautiful children, between the ages of 2 to 17 years. I have been battling my weight for my whole life, yo-yo-ing from obese, to not so obese, but never quite making it to "thin". I can't remember a time in my entire life - even from a young child - not being completely aware and totally self concious of my size.
I found the ObesityHelp.com website after a physical with my PCP on August 30th, 2006 where he again suggested that I might want to seriously consider the option of surgical weight loss. He first mentioned it to me in 2003 when I saught his help in a medically monitored weight loss effort. I had researched quite a bit, read as much information as I could get my hands on, and made peace with my decision that weight loss surgery is indeed the right thing for me.
I had RNY on May 15th, 2007 and it's the best thing I have ever done for myself. It changed everything about me and my life, for the better, and I'm glad to know that I'll NEVER be the same again!
I'm BACK!!!! on May 1, 2012 9:55 am
In a few short weeks I'll be celebrating my 5 year "Surgiversary". Thinking back, I never thought I'd be someone who had a success story to post... and yet, here I am! This surgery has been an enormous blessing to me and I would do it again in a heartbeat... it literally gave me a life that I never thought possible!
In the last 8 months or so, I've gained some weight back which has been devastating, but I'm not going to let that sideline me! I know that the statistics say people usually gain a certain percentage back after a certain period of time - my regain initially started with some unstable hormone levels, and as a bit of a depression set in, I let it get out of control. I can fully admit that as the years go by, I have gotten more and more relaxed about what I put in my mouth, and how much exercise I get (or don't get as the case actually is)... which has most certainly attributed to the total amount of my gain... it'd be nice to blame everything on a medical condition, but that's not the case, and I am holding myself accountable.
Thanks for letting me ramble... and I'd appreciate advice from the been-there/done-that folks!
:)
My WOW Moments on June 26, 2007 6:27 am
I've had 3 really big WOW moments since my surgery 6 weeks ago... I should've recorded the dates and blogged them here, but I didn't think much of them until today's moment which gave me pause... so here they are in order of occurrance.
1: One morning as I was getting ready for work, I was able to swing my right foot up onto the opposite knee to apply foot lotion without hoisting it up via my pant leg and having to hold it there against it's will...AND I had NO hip joint pain or discomfort. Thinking surely this was a fluke, I didn't even consider being able to do the same with my opposite foot... but "poof" I swung my left foot up and again, no pain, no hoisting, no holding it there against it's will! It was AMAZING!
2: I went to the Elementary school that my children attend to watch my kindergartener 'graduate', and of course it was in the school's auditorium. I sat down into the seat, without thinking, and had EXTRA ROOM to move around... I looked at my hubby and bounced side to side with a huge stupid grin on my face saying "look, I have ROOM!".... He said I had the biggest smile on my face and was giddy like a little girl. LOL! The last time I was at the school for an awards ceremony in the same auditorium, my butt narrowly squeezed into the fold-down seats, and when squished into the seat, the arms of the seat cut into the sides of my thighs so much that I sat there SO uncomfortable praying the long-winded principal would just give my kid their award so I could get the heck outta' there! What a difference a few weeks make post-op!
and #3: TODAY - I was able to put my engagement ring and my wedding band back on for the first time since I was pregnant with my last baby - who's now 14 1/2 months old. I can comfortably wear the engagement ring, but because I have such short stubby fingers, wearing the band with it felt a little uncomfortable still so I am leaving it in the box for a while... but when on, I can remove both of them with ease, and the engagement ring fits perfectly, not even leaving a mark at all! So, I've got my diamond back on today - which makes more than just my finger sparkle!
I'm so happy I had this surgery. Sometimes the results are subtle, but they're oh so worth it! Thank you Lord for this blessing in my life!
Be the first to leave a comment.
One Month Post-Op Results.... on June 21, 2007 6:24 am
At one month post-op, I had lost 21 pounds and 13.25 inches overall. I can't complain about the results - the last time I had these kinds of results I was doing the Atkins diet and working out 3 times a day.... I can't say that I've been particularly good about "working out" in any traditional sense of the words, but I am more active now than before surgery.
I am still feeling fine, only gotten sick from eating 2 or 3 times due to the food just not sitting well in my pouch... and once because I know I ate too fast and didn't chew well enough - lesson learned.
Be the first to leave a comment.
3 WEEKS OUT... on June 5, 2007 3:50 pm
Today I am officially 3 weeks out from my RNY on May 15th! Some days, I simply can not believe this is my life - I feel so grateful for the gift of this surgery - the opportunity for a "do over" for my life! What a blessing.
In general, I feel good. Sometimes I feel like I didn't even have anything done. My incisions are in that itchy healing stage, so they're usually what reminds me that I'm post-op. I don't crave the junk food and sweets that used to haunt me. I am careful to not over-exercise yet, as I know internally I'm not all healed yet. I can eat just about whatever meat I have prepared for my family for dinner, and as long as I'm careful to chew properly and eat slowly.
I'm going to work on posting a "weight chart" or something like I've seen on other people's profiles. I want to offer as much information as I can to anyone who might be investigating this as an option for themselves.
It truely has changed my life - and if I can say that at 3 weeks out, I can't imagine what it'll be like 3 months or even 3 years from now!
Move over and make room for me on the losers... on May 20, 2007 12:48 pm
I had my surgery on Tuesday May 15th, 2007 and although I still can't believe it - I'm officially "post-op"! I never thought I'd be able to say that.
I am recovering well, and other than the occasional bout of nausea, at 5 days post-op, I feel quite well.
I am developing a head cold (probably due to the germies that live in hospitals) but sneezing and coughing don't even seem to hurt... After having 4 babies I'm more likely to pee my pants from sneezing or coughing too hard than I am to have any pains due to the surgery.
I feel so grateful and happy that I've had the opportunity to have had this surgery! It's a surreal experience.
Be the first to leave a comment.
|
Archive
Tags
|
My Story Starting Weight: 248 lbs. My personal all-time-highest weight.
# of weeks out Date Current Weight +/- lbs. Total Net Loss
(first weigh in) 03/21/07 244 -4 lbs. - 4 lbs.
(surgery date) 05/15/07 231 -13 lbs. -17 lbs.
3 weeks 06/05/07 217 -14 lbs - 31 lbs.
4 weeks 06/12/07
**1 month** 06/15/07
5 weeks 06/19/07
6 weeks 06/26/07
7 weeks 07/03/07
8 weeks 07/10/07
**2 months** 07/15/07
9 weeks 08/07/07
10 weeks 08/14/07
**3 months** 08/15/07
11 weeks 09/04/07
12 weeks 09/11/07
**4 months** 09/15/07
13 weeks 09/18/07
14 weeks 09/25/07
15 weeks 10/02/07
16 weeks 10/09/07
**5 months** 10/15/07
17 weeks 10/16/07
18 weeks 10/23/07
19 weeks 10/30/07
20 weeks 11/06/07
21 weeks 11/13/07
**6 months** 11/15/07
|
Waiting for Approval
Send Message
Member Card
Block Member
