Karly Green
Inside my year since RNY
Aug 08, 2011
I can't believe it y'all (she says like Paula Deen) .... It's been a year - Well technically a year and a week - since I went under the knife and up and got myself rerouted!
Thank you Dr. Dunnican for forever changing my life with your skilled hands. You are my hero and I wish you were here to share in my joy next week for my 1 year follow up appointment. I'll be thinking of you.
I sit here today with a whole person gone from my body. 140 lbs. Off. Done. Gone. Dead.
I started this journey absolutely positive I would get denied from insurance. After every appointment checked off the list, and all the things done, and the letter sent off to insurance I was still sure they'd say no. I wasn't big enough, or sick enough, or I didn't try enough diets first, or document enough. I was SURE it wasn't going to happen. Then - August 2nd 2010 came. I arrived at the hospital early, hungry, and with a small group of support. And it happened!
Recovery was a bitch. Being in the hospital wasn't fun, getting in and out of the hospital bed to pee and walk around sucked balls! But, I did it. Every day it got easier to get up. Every day it got better.
I was scared to eat. Each different stage of the diet progression as I got further and further out from surgery scared me more and more. I didn't want to get sick! Chew-chew-chew!!!
I remember the day about 5 or 6 weeks out when things just changed. Like a light got switched on. I went out to dinner with friends to TGIFridays and ordered Food! Real food!! I got the sizzling chicken and cheese with mashed potatoes! I ate till I was full (about a quarter of a chicken breast and a few bites of potatoes), but that made me feel so normal. I was doing something I had done before surgery, and enjoying myself! From that day on I've never regretted my decision. EVER!
A lot has changed for me. Physically, emotionally, personally, financially.
My husband and I are divorcing, but that would have happened without me getting Gastric Bypass
_________________
I've been dating a guy for about 10 months now. He's so supportive in my weight loss journey. He lost 80 lbs himself since we've gotten together so it's amazing to see him transform in front of my eyes the same way I am transforming in other peoples eyes. He's my rock. He encourages me even when I don't want it. He loves each and every one of my imperfect flaws. He accepts me. He cares about me.
He likes that I take pride in myself. He likes that I dress nice, and wear makeup, and paint my toenails, and always have lip gloss on. LOL .... I love that he loves that!
(is that conceited sounding or what?! LOL)
__________________
I've learned to look at food in a whole new light. And this comes just recently. Things matter to me now that never used to. For instance - Organic, natural, and local foods are very important. Supporting our local farms. Knowing what you're putting into your body isn't insanely processed and shipped 3000+ miles to your grocery store - then to your plate with only God knows what chemicals and pesticides on it.
We buy local and organic AS MUCH as our budget will allow. We've started going to Farmers markets, and meeting the people that work the actual farms that we eat the food from. It's amazing!! It makes you feel connected. I love it!
__________________
The "OMG You've lost soooooo much weight!!!!" comments are starting to slow. I'm OK with that. I think that means now I'm just ME. I'm no longer "Karly - The girl that lost 140 lbs OMG have you seen her yet?". Now, I'm just "Karly". People that haven't seen me in months and months still freak out a little when they see me. And I'm going to a wedding in 4 weeks back home in San Diego full of people I haven't seen in years, so I'm sure it'll be all I talk about all night. How much I've lost, How I lost it, How was the surgery, what's my diet like now, What can I and can't I eat, etc etc..... I don't mind talking about it, but it can get exhausting lol.
__________________
All I can really say is I love my RNY. It gave me the tool I needed to be the person I wanted to be, and not the unhappy person that I saw looking back at myself in the mirror. It's like I had a fat suit on. That might sound mean, but it's true. I see ME in old pictures, my blue eyes, my smile .... But I was hidden under all that life sucking fat.
Life is so normal now. I eat a normal amount of food when we sit down at the dinner table. 9 times out of 10 I finish my plate even. Honest to God, if you didn't know I had the surgery and we went out to dinner together, you wouldn't even be able to tell I did. I would just seem like an average, healthy eater. Low carbs, high protein, and I don't drink with or after my meals. No biggie!
I don't stress over sitting in plastic chairs, or my swollen fat feet not fitting in shoes when I try them on. It's the everyday small things that I treasure and recognize when they happen. Like pulling a normal sized towel around me and having excess room! YEEHAW!!!
Here's a couple pictures of the before and after.
23 comments
Thank you Dr. Dunnican for forever changing my life with your skilled hands. You are my hero and I wish you were here to share in my joy next week for my 1 year follow up appointment. I'll be thinking of you.
I sit here today with a whole person gone from my body. 140 lbs. Off. Done. Gone. Dead.
I started this journey absolutely positive I would get denied from insurance. After every appointment checked off the list, and all the things done, and the letter sent off to insurance I was still sure they'd say no. I wasn't big enough, or sick enough, or I didn't try enough diets first, or document enough. I was SURE it wasn't going to happen. Then - August 2nd 2010 came. I arrived at the hospital early, hungry, and with a small group of support. And it happened!
Recovery was a bitch. Being in the hospital wasn't fun, getting in and out of the hospital bed to pee and walk around sucked balls! But, I did it. Every day it got easier to get up. Every day it got better.
I was scared to eat. Each different stage of the diet progression as I got further and further out from surgery scared me more and more. I didn't want to get sick! Chew-chew-chew!!!
I remember the day about 5 or 6 weeks out when things just changed. Like a light got switched on. I went out to dinner with friends to TGIFridays and ordered Food! Real food!! I got the sizzling chicken and cheese with mashed potatoes! I ate till I was full (about a quarter of a chicken breast and a few bites of potatoes), but that made me feel so normal. I was doing something I had done before surgery, and enjoying myself! From that day on I've never regretted my decision. EVER!
A lot has changed for me. Physically, emotionally, personally, financially.
My husband and I are divorcing, but that would have happened without me getting Gastric Bypass
_________________
I've been dating a guy for about 10 months now. He's so supportive in my weight loss journey. He lost 80 lbs himself since we've gotten together so it's amazing to see him transform in front of my eyes the same way I am transforming in other peoples eyes. He's my rock. He encourages me even when I don't want it. He loves each and every one of my imperfect flaws. He accepts me. He cares about me.
He likes that I take pride in myself. He likes that I dress nice, and wear makeup, and paint my toenails, and always have lip gloss on. LOL .... I love that he loves that!
(is that conceited sounding or what?! LOL)__________________
I've learned to look at food in a whole new light. And this comes just recently. Things matter to me now that never used to. For instance - Organic, natural, and local foods are very important. Supporting our local farms. Knowing what you're putting into your body isn't insanely processed and shipped 3000+ miles to your grocery store - then to your plate with only God knows what chemicals and pesticides on it.
We buy local and organic AS MUCH as our budget will allow. We've started going to Farmers markets, and meeting the people that work the actual farms that we eat the food from. It's amazing!! It makes you feel connected. I love it!
__________________
The "OMG You've lost soooooo much weight!!!!" comments are starting to slow. I'm OK with that. I think that means now I'm just ME. I'm no longer "Karly - The girl that lost 140 lbs OMG have you seen her yet?". Now, I'm just "Karly". People that haven't seen me in months and months still freak out a little when they see me. And I'm going to a wedding in 4 weeks back home in San Diego full of people I haven't seen in years, so I'm sure it'll be all I talk about all night. How much I've lost, How I lost it, How was the surgery, what's my diet like now, What can I and can't I eat, etc etc..... I don't mind talking about it, but it can get exhausting lol.
__________________
All I can really say is I love my RNY. It gave me the tool I needed to be the person I wanted to be, and not the unhappy person that I saw looking back at myself in the mirror. It's like I had a fat suit on. That might sound mean, but it's true. I see ME in old pictures, my blue eyes, my smile .... But I was hidden under all that life sucking fat.
Life is so normal now. I eat a normal amount of food when we sit down at the dinner table. 9 times out of 10 I finish my plate even. Honest to God, if you didn't know I had the surgery and we went out to dinner together, you wouldn't even be able to tell I did. I would just seem like an average, healthy eater. Low carbs, high protein, and I don't drink with or after my meals. No biggie!
I don't stress over sitting in plastic chairs, or my swollen fat feet not fitting in shoes when I try them on. It's the everyday small things that I treasure and recognize when they happen. Like pulling a normal sized towel around me and having excess room! YEEHAW!!!
Here's a couple pictures of the before and after.
About Me
Middletown, NJ
Location
21.8
BMI
Surgery
08/02/2010
Surgery Date
Aug 10, 2009
Member Since
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
272lbs
130lbs
