Name: Heather K.
Username: Heather_Momof4
Location: MA
Member Since: 4/29/2007
BMI: 25.8
Post Op
Surgery Type: RNY (07/10/07)
Surgeon: Donald Hess, M.D.

Photos

Mine (12)

I'm in (0)

Jman's First Holy Communion May 2008 Uploaded on 5/29/08 2:21 pm	9 Months Uploaded on 4/14/08 7:54 am
5 months out Uploaded on 12/6/07 12:36 pm	Almost 5 Months Out Uploaded on 11/29/07 7:15 am
Almost 5 Months Out Uploaded on 11/29/07 7:15 am	Almost 5 Months Out Uploaded on 11/29/07 7:15 am

View Other Photos

Friends

Heather K. has 47 Friends

Midgie67	Shay7	neisha H.
Amy W.	lucylu11	ArumLily
Chrialg6	JazzN	zoe1vida1

View all friends

Goals

Take control of my health and conquer my lifelong battle with food and my weight

Category: Health

2 People

in progress,

0 People

achieved this

View The Goals Page

Member Interests

Sports - Local sports fan: Red Sox and Patriots
Cats - Saint Michael, the cat who thinks he's a dog
Parenting - 4 beautiful, healthy and smart children.
Cooking & Baking - Love to cook, now need healthier versions.
Christianity - Proud Catholic, teach CCD
Married - Happily married
RN - Currently pursuing education for RN.
Gardening - Attempting our 1st vegetable garden: starting plants from seed.

Click here to see interests of other ObesityHelp members.

Latest Surgery Support Comments

Comment by neisha H. on 7/18/07 9:30 pm

Congratulations Heather! You should be well on your way to recovery now! Let's have a great journey together! Neisha

Click here for the surgery support page

Heather_Momof4's Blog

A Year Out....
on July 26, 2008 1:25 pm

I am two weeks out from my one year "SURGIVERSARY".... And I couldn't be happier. I am weighing in the low 160's and wearing a size 8-10. My arms look amazing - actually really defined and muscular.... to the point that people comment about them and ask how often I work out (HAHA! ME???)....

We had a beautiful family vacation up on Frye Island in Maine... Hubby took the following picture of me (trying so hard to be a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model....)... Yeah, I have a majorly dorky look on my face, but from the neck down... check me out!

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

SPRING FEVER
on March 24, 2008 10:45 am

About 8.5 months out from my RNY.... and I couldn't be happier.... While my weight seems to be leveling off in the low 170's...

I am noticing that my body is shrinking.... most recently my hubby and I noticed my "batwings" have almost disappeared and I actually have defined muscle tone in my bicep. Also, I have a nice gap at the top of my thighs - theres a little triangle of space between my thighs and my - well you know - "girl parts"....

I am starting to be more disciplined in working out and recently discovered some terrific workouts right through my "On Demand" cable box.... Not only can I do them easily, but I feel great afterwards... My abs are still burning as I type this, so it's obviously working something. :o)

People who never knew me before are "shocked" when they discover I had RNY - and other people who have known me for years tell me how great I look, but then say, "I never remember you being *that big*".... I guess that's a compliment???

I am itching for the warm weather and getting outside everyday with the kids and moving my body. I am looking forward to hiking, roller blading and wearing a bathing suit this summer! Who'd have thunk it??

Loving my RNY!

1 comment | Click here to leave a comment.

Christmas 2007
on December 23, 2007 9:40 am

Christmas is only a few hours away at this point.... crazy, crazy, crazy busy.... Thankfully my mother came over the other night and we stayed up wrapping until 2AM! Presents for four kids, no matter how hard you try to be frugal and minimal.... equals well over 100+ gifts! Thank GOD, my mother *loves* wrapping.... (Not me, I'd stick em all in brown paper bags...) HAHA!

The weightloss is going well... I haven't weighed myself in a while - I have never been a big fan of scales in general... I bought a pair of pants to wear for Christmas day - a black and white very small (houndstooth?) check that has a red stripe throughout.... size 11 juniors.... and a juniors size large red sweater.... Shopping is certainly a lot more fun and a WHOLE lot less expensive when you're a smaller size....

Must have hit my time limit on the computer now... I have four kids tugging at me and my oldest is reading over my shoulder!

Wishing all my OH friends a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

PS - Stay away from EGGNOG - at thanksgiving I thought I'd try a few sips and I dumped soooooo bad at the in-laws house.... Sweats, flushed and vomittng....

Be the first to leave a comment.

Four Months Out...
on November 12, 2007 4:34 pm

Met with Dr. Hess my bariatric surgeon today for a routine "post-op" appointment. Since surgery I have lost 69lbs and he feels that I am "way ahead" of where he expected me to be at this point. He had approximated that I would lose 100lbs during the first year... being at almost 70lbs in only 4 months... he says I am "off the charts"... I know I am comparable to a lot of my "surgery sisters" here on OH... I think that doctors in general kind of "low-ball" their estimates... it helps with the positive morale!

I am at 192lbs now, wearing size large or 12/14... UNREAL! The last time I was at this weight, I was a sophomore in high school! I feel sooo good... very hot, very sexy and very confident. I love my smaller body and feel so good when I run, jump and dance... it's like a brand new me in a brand new body...

Dr. Hess thinks I'll end up around 150lbs... this is really hard for me to wrap my head around... I have a very VIVID, unforgetable memory of a fourth grade weigh in... the school nurse brings the scale for height and weight into the classroom... oooh... how horrible it was! I weighed 140lbs in the 4th grade!!! Right now I am only 50lbs heavier than I was in the fourth grade... is that even possible??? All these numbers just swirl in my head...

Also made it a point today for Dr. Hess to document some of my skin issues with the belly flab...(such a sexy subject, huh??)... But as most of you know (or will know...) when the weight comes off and the skins starts to hang, it's ripe for yeast infections and other fungal goodness... So even though I am not 100% sold on plastics... I figured it couldn't hurt to start the process of having proper documentation so that the tummy tuck will be covered, should I choose to go that route...

2 comments | Click here to leave a comment.

Me Now...
on October 10, 2007 8:34 am

9 comments | Click here to leave a comment.

Archive

My Story

I am scheduled for lap gastric bypass for July 10, 2007.

I have been over-weight: fat: obese: plus-sized: big-boned... my entire life. My earliest fat memory was a classroom weigh-in in the 4th grade and I weighed 140lbs.

The weight loss surgery decision has been a difficult one. I find it frustrating to explain my decision to most people, as their quick answer is to "just stop eating" or "go on a diet". Been there done that, have the tee shirt.

Essentially my decision has been based on the following: my four beautiful children and my husband. I want to live a full, happy and healthy life for them. Factor #2 is my genetics. I am predisposed to countless comorbities ranging from heart disease to diabetes to numerous cancers to...well, too many others to list. Having the surgery would more than halve my risk to these health dangers. Factor #3 is that I am SO uncomfortable in my skin. I feel like I am living in a "fat suit". When I look in the mirror, I don't see a 260ish pound person, and I am continually hurt because other people ONLY SEE THIS.

I am dedicated to making life-changes, and since first beginning the pre-op process about a year and a half ago, have already lost 30+ lbs. I am getting in the mind-set, because as so many people say: it's stomach surgery, NOT brain surgery.

There is no doubt that without this surgery as a TOOL, I will forever be yo-yo-ing with my weight. I was never thin, I didn't just "get fat" from a stress or from kids or an illness. I have always been big. To me, that tells me that I need more than a diet, and that's why I am going this route.

It's not an easy decision. This is a life-changing (possibly a life threatening) decision. I did not happen upon it easily and it certainly isn't a "quick fix" for me.