I went threw so much with my prior insurance company. I almost gave up on this surgery but something inside me ( and my family) told me not to give up. So I stuck to it. Then in April my husbands company changed insurance's. There was only two outcomes to this new change. 1- they would be easy or 2- they would tell me I had to wait to apply until I was on it for like a year ( some insurances do that when you first start on them) So I gave my surgeons secretary my insurance information and she sent it off. They recieved it April 28th. I called them like every week to be persistant. On May 24 th I recieved a letter saying I was approved. Thank god. ( and I did) I am so happy. I have been on cloud 9 since and I have taken permamnent residance on that cloud. Here's to a new me.

06/04/06- So I am super excited about my upcoming surgery. Just trying to find a support group close to my house so I dont need to drive to Baltimore at night. One that was down the street I just found out they canceled the meeting place so I am trying to help start it back up if possible. But still super excited about the surgery I am ready to begin this new life.

6/15/06- Found out yesterday that if I don't have a private room my mom cannot stay with me overnight in the hospital. Was a little upset but decided I would not let that get me down emotionally. At least there are visiting hours. So again very super excited to about my surgery cant wait.

7/1/06- Well almost a week away and I cannot describe my feeling at this moment. My Husband and I have been busy laying new floor and painting our house that I have kept my mind busy on that and not the surgery. But everyday is a countdown. I see all the great results from other people and just pray that I will do well and use this tool correctly. I have already started my journal so I am on the ball with that. I am going to keep track of everything I do and look back on it day by day. 8 days and counting.

7/7/2006- Well today was a sad day for me. I had to say bye to the kids I watch. Even thought it is only for a month I will still miss them terribly. When your with the same kids everyday you will miss them when your not. I am getting very nervous about my surgery just waking up and seeing a scar on my stomach is creeping me out but It will be all worth it in the end. Found out today that I have to be at the hospital at 6 am. wow. I know I wont be able to sleep anyways so thats ok. Ill get plenty of sleep during the surgery. Well I will update as soon as I get home from the hospital.

7/9/2006- Less than 24 hours to go I am so nervous. You live your whole life being overweight and with a little sleep and hospital stay you get the most precious tool to make you healthy. What's running threw my mind is a million things. I cannot believe this day is finally here. Almost 2 years ago I started researching this surgery and meeting different docs and choosing the one I felt comfortable around and then the insurance wait, that was annoying. Day by day passed like someone had a leash on you and they were in command. Then a miracle happened my ins at my husbands company changed. It was heaven sent. Within less then a month boom they said we will approve you. The day has come and I am ready

7/14/2006- Well I am home and loving it. The hospital stay was rough. Not Comfortable at all. But I am so much happier at home in my own bed. The surgery went great. It;s wierd to see the scar but it will heel and it will be ok. I havnt had any problems keeping food down I have been doing really good. Thanks to a wonderful husband. He has done so much for me I can't thank him enough.

7/24/2006- Well it has been 2 weks and I feel great. This thing I have to wear around my stomach is bothering me but it keeps me from getting a hernia so I will deal with it. I have my checkup on the 26th and hopefully will be getting the staples and the tube out. But other than that I feel great. I have been following my diet as i am supposed to. I cant wait to see what the scale says when i go for my check up. I wont beat myself up about it but I am just anxious to see.

8/1/2006- So I have been meaning to write but havn't gotten around to it. So Here's whats new. I am 3 weeks post-op and down 35 pounds. I couldn't believe it. It was the greatest thing to get the staples and the tube out a week ago. I feel free. I can drive I can workout a little bit. I am back to normal life. Except work I have 13 more days for that. I have to say it was a little hard at first but I stuck in there and now I can eat soft foods and its great. I am so glad I did this surgery.

8/10/2006- One month ago today I stared my new life. I cant believe it's already been a month. It goes by so quick. As I look back I just cant believe how many times I just wanted to quit because of insurance issues or just being scared. I did so much to prepare for this moment that I never thought I could do. I quit smoking. That was a big hurdle for me. I had been smoking for 13 years and My doc said I had to quit for this surgery. I am glad he did. Life has been great. I am ready to go back to work on Monday the 14th. To be with the 2 greateast kids I watch and the best family to work for. They were so supportive in my whole wls journey and that was alot of help. I couldnt thank my husband enough. He was my backbone threw this whole thing. I could not have functioned when I came home from the hospital if it werent for him. He was truly a blessing to me. My Mom and stepdad were very helpful they came and saw me everyday I was in the hospital and helped me walk around so no bloodclots. I have been truly blessed in the food dept. I havnt gotten sick or anything. I would have to say that it is truly important to follow your nutritionists diet rules. They are the ones who know how you need to eat and they have been trained and know what there talking about. So before I go on and on I have to say this is truly the best thing I have ever done. One regret- I didn't do it sooner.

8/27/2006- I am really bad about keeping this thing up. Well I have been doing great. At my 6 week check up I was down 50 pounds. I couldn't believe it. I am so glad that I did this. What an amazing feeling. I am off my blood pressure medicine which was making me dizzy and lightheaded. Since I have been off it I have not had that feeling. Going back to work was great. I have been at the pool everyday with the kids I watch which is good exercise. I am getting ready to start water arobics to add to my gym routine. I even got some family members to do it with me. Can you tell I love the water. I had my first resturant experience last weekend and it went great, The waitress was very helpful with my needs and finding out fat and suger info on salad dressings for me. Once again i say THIS WAS THE BEST THING i EVER DID.

9/11/06- Well yesterday was my 2 month surgiversary and I feel great. I am so glad I did this. Now I just need to buy a scale. Never thought I would say those words let alone bring on into my house. I just don't want it to rule me. I think I will have my husband hide it and give it to me only once a week maybe sunday nights. I have friends and family tell me I am shrinking so that feels good to me. I also want to take the time to thank all the men and women who risked there lives and to all the people we lost on 9/11 five years ago. And to the soldiers in Iraq fighting so we can enjoy our great country and not have to ever go thru what we went thru on that day. God Bless


 

9/22/06- Well I have to say that I am proud of myself today. I went to the doctors on wednesday and I have lost 70 pounds since the day of my surgery. I couldn't believe it. I only had my surgery almost 3 months ago and 20 more pounds and I hit 100 pounds. It is just so amazing to me. I think of why I didn't do this at 17 when my doctoe first spoke about it and I think I came up with a reason. I think I might of been immature about it and might not of taken it serious. I think god wanted me to grow up some and bring my husband into my life first so I had a strong backbone threw this whole thing and that he has been. I sound like a broken record when I talk about my husband and how he helped me threw this. I also had great success with the support group meeting lastnight. Thank you to Lydia, Connie, Traci, Sue, Heather, Margie, and Robin. It was great meeting all of you and listening to your storys and I look forward to getting together more often with all of you. Thank you for coming out lastnight and making this a great meeting.

10/20/06- So i went to the doctors yesterday to get my B-12 shot and It has been a month since I last weighed in and I was 376 and yesterday I was 360. So my total since surgery is 86 pounds. I am always shocked everytime I step on the scale. I have yet to buy a scale due to the fact I do not want to get obsessed about it. So I think I will wait till my docotr appointments get further from each other. About a month ago I had a bad sinus infection so my PCP gave me the Z pack well it never really went away so I when I went yesterday she was listening to my chest and said I was weasing. She sent me to get a chest x-ray and called me right after to tell me I had Anomonia in my left lung. I have never had this so I was a little scared. She said I didnt have anything to be scared of it wasnt severe. But that most patients can get it after surgery even months out.  So needless to say now I know why I have been so tired the past 2 weeks. But very excited about my weight loss total.

11/18/06- So it has been a month since I updated and I thought I would do it now since I have a little bit of time. Well I finally got my scale i ordered and was a little scared because it only goes to 350 but i was hoping by the time it come I would be under it. To my surprise I was and can now say i have lost 103 pounds since the day of my surgery. I am so happy I could just cry. I never thought I would be in the 300's again. And to say I have lost over 100 pounds is just amazing to me. This will be my first thanksgiving and I am a little nervous because for the first time I am spending it with my husbands family and I am worried that I will eat something that I do not know what is in it and I will get sick. But maybe I will talk to my mother in law and see what she is cooking. But I hate to inconvience her just to suit my needs but then again she is amazed at my transformation and I know she wont mind. It's wierd to say but sometimes I dont like rubbing it in and people making a big deal out of me. It's weird I have the chance to shine to the world but yet I kinda still hide. I guess I am still in the mindset of a big person even thought I shouldnt be that way anymore because I am shrinking. Well thats all for now. Happy Thanksgiving

12/28/2006- Well it's been a month since I last updated so i thought I would take this time to do so. I'm glad the holidays are almost over. This year was very overwhelming. My mom had a family reunion on Christmas eve and I haven;t seen half of my family since i got married almost 3 years ago so the attention was all on me. That was very overwhelming being in the spotlight when i usually hide in a corner. But I do have to say it felt good. This week has been a toughey week for me. I lost one of my part time jobs because I am opening up a home daycare and was nice to tell my boss/friend what I was doing and it would take some time but maybe the end of January beggining of February I would be leaving. I told her this in Sept/Oct and last week she hired someone behind my back and called me the day after christmas and told me I was gone and Today would be my last. It was the job I had at the gym. I worked back in the babysitting room for 2 years. The mom's loved and trusted me and I built relationships with the kids that have been there as long as me. It was very sad to tell them todays was my last. But I will keep in touch with them and see them grow. I was very mad and hurt that they would do this to me. I was a good employee. Never called out last minute, barely took off and gave them a 3 month notice for my surgery. But I am a big believer in things happen for a reason. I will only grow from this but it still hurts and will for a while. Well I ave rambled on enough but I am now down 130 pounds and I feel great. I got to finally shop at Fashion bug and when I walked out of there I almost cried. I was so excited that I never had to order from LaneBryant Catalog or go to Cathrines. I could never find anything there that was reasonably priced or fashionable to my age group. But now I can and it feels good. Well thats enough bable from me tonight. Till next time..... God Bless all who are going threw this journey and any questions please feel free to email me

Take care

3-15-2007- Wow I havnt written anything in a while so here is the update. As of today I have lost a total of 144 pounds in 8 months. WOW it is truly amazing what this miracle has brought me. I feel better in everyday things. I feel confident when I go out. I feel sexier to my husband who doesnt care what size I am in the first place. I feel closer to the hopes in starting a family soon. Hopefully the end of this year if my doc says ok. Life is just the greatest thing and wouldnt trade it for the world. I would do this all over again. Sometimes I wish I had done it sooner but things happen for a reason and I was 17 when my docotor first mentioned it to me and I thought I was to immature to do it and I was. I think at age 25 was best for me. Well thats it for now. If you have any other questions just feel free to ask

7/14/2008

Well it has been 2 years (and 4 days...lol) since I had my RNY surgery. I havnt updated this in a while so thought I would for my 2 year. I weighed in at 446 pounds the morning of my surgery. I have lost almost 180.  I have been working with a personal trainer 2x's a week. I think if you are beginning this process that you should know excercise is a BIG part of it. I came into it late. I joined a gym in March of 07 and didnt go that much. Then was introduced to a personal trainer and have been with him for over a month now. I go with my friend heather who also had the surgery. My support group I started is still going strong. I am very happy of the outcome and everyone who attends is so supportive. There is no negativity and that makes me happy. Life is becoming so busy. My husband and I are finally Trying to have a baby. I waited 2 years like my doc said so were excited. Althought I hope to get more weight down before I get pregnant. I'm really working hard at it. I think after 2 years your body is just done and you really have to go back to basics and jumpstart your self. So thats what I am planning on doing. Starting from scrtach all over again. I will post more after on that and update about it.


8/13/2008

Ok so I thought I havn't updated in a long time but I did a month ago. But some things have changed. In one more month today my Brother is getting married and i ams o happy for him. I am a bridesmaid and this is the first time I could order a dress like the other girls. I had to have my wedding dress made and 2 of my friends weddings I was in. So this is a big wow moment for me. I just found out you can become a certified OH support group leader so I contacted them about that and they finished the ones for july so te end of august they will conact me about what to do for the spetember ones. I think it is just phone confrences. So that will be nice to say I am a certified OH support group leader and hopefully will get some info on topics and stuff. It is hard to always think of things to do and talk about so this should be fun and hopefully my group will appriciate this (I know they will, there a great bunch and I am so thankful for them) Ok so that all for now.