Barbara C.

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

I am so very gratefull for the changes that have occured over the past 10 months ...

• I am no longer diabetic,
• my hemochromatosis is under control,
• my blood pressure is low/normal,
• my cholesterol is down 90 points,
• reverse my fatty liver,
• eliminate my hemoroids,
• eliminate my incontenance,
• I lowered my resting heart rate,
• my energy and endurance are incredible.

Just as important, I think, are the changes in my outlook and attitudes about choices that I make and the impact that those choices have on my life. Like many others that have had WLS, I don't dump in the classic sense; actually, I rarely have any dumping symptoms at all. While some might consider this a curse, I think it may have been a blessing and I'm grateful that I have had to learn to make choices about what I'm going to eat based on what's best for me. I have realized that while the surgery has been an invaluable tool in helping me to 'peal' off the excess weight and will help me as I work to maintain my new healthier body, I have to change my relationship to and with food to be successful in the long run. That doesn't mean I never 'indulge', but those indulgences are uncommon and thoughtful. I didn't believe that I'd be able to make the changes in my relationship to and with food before, I never had this perspective before I had the surgery and for this I'm very grateful.

I am also so very grateful for the countless "Wow Moments" that I have enjoyed over the past 10 months.

• Finding that I have cheekbones,
• finding out that I have a chest,
• seeing my feet when I walk,
• not being able to 'hold' a napkin in my lap,
• always fitting into a booth,
• breathing while tying my shoes,
• painting my toenails and putting on my hose.
• Having space between my thighs and not having painful rings at my knees where my kneehigh hose are cutting off the circulation.
• Weighing less than my 6'2" sons and 5'8" nephew!
• losing over 100 lbs
• losing my tummy so I don't 'accidently' turn on the stove with my fat roll
• realizing that my tummy doesn't rub the steering wheel
• being able to stand up from a squating position without help
• being able to wear calf-high boots
• finally be an average size, like my siblings
• losing my double chin
• being able to fit into 'normal' sized clothes
• being able to wear the same sizes as my daughter ... who has dropped 4 sizes herself!
• comfortably fitting into airline or theater seats
• being able to wear my high school class ring
• smiling when I see a photo of myself
• wearing a single digit size

I'm a transplant ... that means that most of family and friends live somewhere else and because of that, they don't get to see me. My son's have just seen me once since my surgery ... about 35 lbs ago... and they were floored by the change they saw then. Of course I send photos, but apparently they don't really "show" the changes.

My mom lives with me part of the year. She was here when I had my surgery this past summer, but flew to CA for her fall and winter visit. She just came back and is just astounded at the metamorphosis that has occured. I wasn't so surprised to hear her say how different I looked when she first saw me again at the airport, but she has been home for a couple of weeks and still mentions just how incredibly different I look and that it's hard to get used to the 'new' me. Don't get me wrong; she's absolutely delighted and very supportive, but she also is having trouble getting her head around the fact that I now look so very different from the little girl, young woman, and lady she has known for most of my life. As she says... "I just can't get over the incredible changes" quickly followed, with "you are so beautiful" and "I'm so proud of you." You should also know that my mother has always thought I was beautiful and has always been proud of me ... she's just incredulous at the physical changes she's seen.

My daughter and husband who live with me are also very cognizant of the changes, but since they are with me day-to-day, they seem more comfortable with the new me. As a matter of a fact, my daughter and I went to lunch yesterday and saw a woman that was about the size I was before surgery. When I mentioned that to Sarah, she said "I never saw you that way. I don't know why, but I never really saw you as being so big. Are you sure you were that big?" I told her I was and that now that I'm a 'normal' size that I know that I'm not as big as I was, but I still see a 'chunky' lady ... mind you, I wear a size 6, so while I'm not skinny, I'm no where near chunky either. She said she sees me looking normal, that she thought that I was chubby before, but not FAT.

Okay ... enough rambling ...