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
29 People in progress, 15 People achieved this |
167 People in progress, 52 People achieved this |
Surgeon TestimonialDavid Dyer, M.D.Two years out from surgery and have maintained a 140 lbs weight loss -- Dr. Dyer was great to work with in this process. His diet plan and maintenance plan is strict but it works if you follow it. The support of the office and staff was wonderful too. Member Interests
- Animals - I am married with three kiddo's - 19, 18, and 5! Surprise!
- Books & Literature - I love mysteries
- Walking - Walking outside is my favorite exercise
- Swimming - I use to swim when I was young and cannot wait to do it again.
- Antique Shopping - I love the flea market and anything old
|
2 Years Post Op! on January 13, 2013 7:09 am
Two years ago I was recovering from surgery and figuring out this new way of life! Eating was so hard, managing the pills/vitamins with all that water was atrocious! It seemed like brain surgery to manage all of it in a 24 hour period. Trying new foods and dropping weight but still feeling sluggish -- Those first few months were tough but well worth it! I am a different person two years later -- and I am still in a discovery of "kelly" phase. This surgery was a life saver -- physically and mentally I am strong. Emotionally, I am getting there -- it's not perfect and I hid my emotions with my eating for years and years so I don't expect to just change all that in two years when it took me a 30 years to get here. Therapy has been helping and I still continue to go. My progress is just that, progress -- moving forward -- not giving up.
Ok, so for those that are considering surgery and just now seeing this post -- I know you want the "meat" of what 2 years does with this surgery:
Start weight - 260
Todays weight - 127
Start size - 22
Todays size - small/4
Original goal -- 140 (met within 11 months, but continued to lose down to 132 lbs for next 11 months, now at 127 with lowest weight being 124)
How did I get there and have maintained? I followed the diet plan given to me almost to the letter for the first year -- I didn't exercise a lot but I am extremely active. Water and protein are my friends -- sugar still makes me sick (Thank you Lord) -- No carbonated drinks AT ALL!! No beer, no diet coke, nothing but coffee, water, wine. I hardly ever eat fast food - yuck! I eat off of a salad plate to keep portion control -- sometimes my hunger is much bigger than my pouch! Water is awesome -- I drink around 80 oz per day.
Body differences -- I need surgery. I look great in clothes but I look like a 60 year old lady naked (no offense to 60 year old women) -- I probably am worse than that -- The problem areas are my lower belly, my boobs, and my butt. All those places you want to look good! My face is good for the most part since I have strong bone structure but I could do with a little filler around the mouth area as it sags a bit.
Mentally/emotionally -- I am stronger than before. I don't take too much from people like I used to. I feel more confident and I smile more. I still have a lot of work in this area though. This is truly where I am trying to find who "I" am. It's a journey I guess will be never ending but hopefully soon I will know more of "me". Hard to explain.
Marriage -- we are getting divorced. It has nothing to do with the surgery or what I went through over the last two years. We had issues way before my surgery. There were no other parties and in fact, we remain very good friends. If anything, I think my surgery helped me deal with the situation that I ultimately faced. I was strong enough to keep it together, deal with the trauma, support my kiddo's, and still be there for him somewhat. Life happens....
Me -- I am going to make a bucket list for 2013 -- I am going to explore this new way of life. God willing, I will learn to have more acceptance and give myself some peace in life.
That's my two year update -- God bless you all -- thank you for allowing me to share my experience -- keep losing out there!
| Leave a comment.
Fall Update on November 10, 2012 5:57 am
Well, it's fall and I remember last year I was heading to goal weight. It's crazy to think that in a month it will have been two years since surgery! How my life has changed! For the good, for the bad, it's still life, even when skinny. Ok, so here's where I am -- I have actually lost weight these last few months. I weigh now 125 lbs. --- CRAZY to think since my goal weight was 140 lbs. I will say that the recent loss has been due to stress and I do need to gain back those six pounds at some point. I feel bones and it's a weird feeling. I am a size S or a 4 -- never in a million years did I think that would happen! I have more clothes than I know what to do with and I get to wear my dream clothes -- always imagined wearing jeans, boots, and cozy, cute sweaters and looking good! Love dressing up and going to parties -- went to my brother in law's wedding in September and wore a fitted silver off one shoulder dress that was amazing! I felt like a princess! Now, there are some things to remember about this surgery. I have found that the study they did on drinking too much in the second year is true. I had found myself having wine every night to unwind or go to sleep. Previous to surgery, I could not drink too much as my body had it's own stopping signal where the drink would all of sudden taste awful and I would stop. Not now, instead I have found that I want more after a glass or two and that is not good. So, watch the alcohol use. I have never been prone to anything more than social drinking but I could see a habit starting to form. On to eating, I still eat small meals throughout the day and do protein as much as possible with fruits and veggies as tolerated. I have been living with a lot of stress over the last three months so eating has not been my priority.
I still take my supplements and vitamins. Trying to keep healthy is important. The home life has gone through drastic upheaval and I am now a single mom of three kiddo's. The hubby has gone through so much himself and has had a breakdown of sorts. Didn't even realize to what extent until recently. I still love him a lot but have come to the conclusion that I cannot be responsible for him. It's been hard but a long time coming. So, just losing weight and looking good doesn't stop life from happening. Therapy is essential in this process -- coping with life isn't about mac n cheese anymore and neither is about wine. It's about learning healthy ways to keep the stress at bay. I have found in the last few weeks walking to the park with my little one and the dog helps me. Projects around the house helps me. Writing in my new journal helps too. And always, God and faith give me hope. That's my update for now. Keep losing out there and God Bless YOU!
| Leave a comment.
Summer Update on July 27, 2012 8:40 am
Hello -- I have been thinking of my friends here on OH and wondering how everyone is doing. This summer has been going by so quick! I thought I would take a minute to update. My weight is 132 lbs and I have been below goal (140) since last November. I do give myself a range of five lbs -- 130 to 135 to fluctuate but I actually gained up to 137 this summer. I know it doesn't sound a lot but it put into perspective how I need to monitor my eating/drinking. I started working out in the pool at night and quickly lost the 5 lbs to get back in range. I know from lots of experience how weight can all of sudden be put back on and I went through way too much to let that happen. I still count my protein and keep track of my water. I use my scale as a guide to what I eat that day. It may sound obsessive but I weigh 2x a day. In the morning I weigh to see where I am in my range. If I am low on the scale, then I can eat some carbs or be ok with going out to eat. If I am high on the scale, then I cut back on my carbs and do protein. It really has worked for me. In the afternoon I check my weight because that is actually when I "lose" weight. It's weird but I am always higher in the morning than afternoon.
I am still carbonated free -- no cokes, beer, or anything with carbonation. I don't even miss anymore. I can eat a bit more sugar but still watch it. One time I did have two chocolate chip cookies while in an all day meeting and boy did that make me sick. So glad to have that reaction cause those cookies were tasty. I am starting to exercise -- in the pool and I am starting Yoga -- I then will get into weight training. I love to "work" out now. My body responds to fast to it. I did not exercise while losing the weight but now I enjoy it.
The hubby is in his 4th month of his supervised diet. I cannot wait until he has his surgery. He is excited too. We are still going through tough times but are working through it as best we can. We go on vacation next week and I hope it is wonderful. Just wanted to post -- hope you all are well. God bless you and keep losing!
7 comments | Leave a comment.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend! on May 26, 2012 4:28 am
I cannot believe the last time I updated was in February. I have been going non-stop and this weekend is all about rest and relaxation. I have been traveling for business for the last 5 months and just got a new job within my company. It has been a crazy spring. I have maintained my weight. I weighed in this morning at 132 lbs. -- I actually wore a sleeveless dress last night to dinner. That is a first in 25 years! I hardly wore anything sleeveless when I was a teenager. It felt great. My brother was teasing my husband asking him if I was the new girlfriend. I even loved having family pictures taken -- another new experience. I am starting to get comfortable in my new body and I am learning how to deal with attention.
The hubby and I are going through another difficult patch. I am not sure what to do or how this is going to end or begin. He has let his diabetes go out of control. He doesn't take his meds or eat appropriately. He lets his sugar drop or get too high. It affected him so badly that he is no longer in nursing school. He is now on a wait list which is 2 or 3 years. He is depressed and taking 6 medications a day for all of his issues. I am trying to be supportive -- I am trying to understand but it is hard. He doesn't want to go out or do anything -- he hardly works his part time job. I am very concerned. He has half heartily decided to go through the process of having surgery. He started his 6 month diet last month. We filled out his paperwork and went to an open house at the bariatric center where I had my surgery. Dr. Dyer was there and he was wonderful. He gave the hubby a free consult and talked to him about the different options for Type 2 diabetes. The hubby was thinking he should have the sleeve so he could still eat what he wants but Dr. Dyer told him that the R&Y would be better. I keep thinking that if we get him to surgery and losing weight that he will be able to get some clarity. I love the hubby but he is not the person I married or even close to being the person he wants to be. I really feel that if something doesn't happen this year that we will not be able to go on together. That is a hard thing to write. I do not want that to happen. I want us to be healthy and happy together. I want for us to enjoy being around each other. Right now we are so resentful of each other -- I am resentful of his lack of health and he is resentful of my health.
I am going to make an appointment with the shrinkage for both of us. I figure if we can go to therapy, work toward the hubby's surgery, and take care of what we can then maybe it will work out. I do see now why there is more divorce with bariatric patients. I will never regret my surgery but I will say that if I had to do it over again, I would make the hubby participate more in the process. I never let my inability to eat something stand in the way of what he had available in the house. I think I should have emphasized more how I needed him to eat similarly to me or exercise with me rather than thinking I should take care of myself. I don't know....
I do think that if he has the surgery that we would bond again. I would walk those steps with him --- Anyway, we shall see what happens. Say some prayers for us! Keep losing out there and God Bless you! God bless all those folks we are remembering this weekend.
6 comments | Leave a comment.
February Update on February 26, 2012 5:58 am
All is well in my little world. I am still maintaining my weight at 131 as of this morning. I did see 129 for a brief moment and that was crazy as I never expected to see me in the 120's -- Maintaining is actually going very well. I weigh myself every morning and that dictates what I eat or don't eat for the day. I alternate at times from allowing myself carbs to only doing protein depending upon where I am in my 5lb spread. I have been traveling for six weeks in a row for work. I have three more weeks to go before I get a week or two home. Eating in restaurants isn't hard. I usually pick out seafood or fish for dinner and always have eggs for breakfast. My indulgences are dark chocolate and red wine but I keep that at a minimum or at least make sure I have had all my water intake or not too many carbs/calories before I allow myself a treat.
The hubby is another matter....he has gained weight this year and just found out that he is diabetic. He is now a prime candidate for the surgery but he still thinks he can do it on his own. We argue a bit on this subject as he thinks I should understand how addiction to food can be -- I argue back that I do understand but that is why I chose surgery as my tool because I couldn't do it on my own. I only want him to be healthy and happy. He is so not right now. My dream outcome would be that he loses his weight and we can enjoy life together doing all the things that we want to do. Right now he is always tired, frustrated, or just sits there playing his games on his iphone. I want to be supportive but I am a little angry with him. He knew that this was a possibility last year as the doctor told him he was pre-diabetic. Instead of taking it seriously, he continued with his fast food runs and eating the most unhealthy food. Now he is depressed about having to "deprive" himself and being forced into eating healthy and exercising. Hopefully this will be a good turning point and many positive changes come about for him. That is my prayer for him.
Well, that is where I am today -- I am looking forward to Spring and being in the sunshine! I feel like this is the year of change for me and my family. Everything seems to be shifting and balancing out personally and at work. I am excited to see what life brings to us.
God bless you! Keep losing! k
3 comments | Leave a comment.
|
Archive
Tags
|
My Story (2010) Update to the below: I was approved back in 2007 to have my surgery. I found out I was pregnant four days before my surgery was to take place when I went in for my pre-op screening. I was happy and sad -- it's very ironic if you read the below because I likened my surgery to a pregnancy. I was hoping to have my surgery after the baby was born but ended up changing jobs in my 7th month of pregnancy (I know, I am crazy but it was a good offer) -- the new insurance would not cover bariatric surgery. In the meantime, we lost one of our kids. Jaylen was our three year old back in 2007 - we had him since he was 18 mos. old and wanted to adopt him. His biological mom came back and we lost him a month after Noah was born. Noah was born a month early by emergency C-section and had to stay in the NICU for a month. We spent the first year of his life making sure he was ok. He had apnea spells, seizures, and all sorts of issues. He is the best baby and has overcome everything thrown at him. He is our biggest joy and blessing. I am now 38, married, and have two teenagers (16 and 15) and a toddler (2), and three dogs. Last December I found out that my new company does cover this surgery and have been working on trying to get approval. That's it for now....
My story...I am not sure what to write, but I'll start with the basics. I am 35 years old. I am married. I have 3 kiddo's, 4 dogs, and 2 cats. We adopted the dogs and the cats adopted us. I have always had weight issues. When I was in high school and college it wasn't too bad, but still was an issue. I weigh more now than when I was 9 months pregnant. I hate that statement, but it's true. For the last 12 years I have tried and tried to lose weight. I could never make it below 200. One year I even walked 3 miles a day and ate my meals off of a salad plate, but still couldn't get below 200. I became very discouraged and lost any hope of losing weight successfully. I do have to say that I am very fortunate. My husband and kids have never referred to, commented on, or cared about how much I weigh. To them, I was wife and mom and they loved me no matter what! I am actually in a really good place right now in my life. I feel strong - emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and now I am ready to feel strong physically.
I have been looking at gastric bypass for the last two years. My husband was against me having this surgery two years ago. It wasn't until my 35th birthday in August did we sit down and I explained to him how much I wouldn't/couldn't do because of my weight. I couldn't quit smoking b/c I ate too much and gained more weight. I wouldn't go swimming or to the lake with our family b/c I refused to get in a bathing suite. My snoring and sleep apnea was so horrible that there were more times in the week where he ended up on the couch than not. I started to dread traveling for work b/c some airlines (like Southwest) have shorter seat belts than other airlines (like Northwest). I even found that if I sat by the window on an airplane I didn't have a long enough seat belt than if I sat on an aisle seat. I had to pretend to answer my cell phone on the walk to baggage claim in an airport b/c I became out of breath. I dreaded going to our favorite place to listen to music b/c my husband might ask me to dance. And, at the rate I was going, my health was about to take a big nose dive. I have lots of family history to go by. Diabetes, two heart transplants, blood pressure, wheezing & breathing problems, strokes, heart attacks, etc...As I explained to my husband it is no longer about wanting to look good so much as it is to FEEL good! My quality of life (physically) sucked and it didn't look any better 10 years from now unless I did something drastic. When I explained it that way to him -- he had tears in his eyes b/c he realized the pain being obese has caused me. I think he also realized how much of life we were missing as a couple and a family.
We attended the seminar at Centennial Hospital in Nashville in August. I started the process that my insurance company required. I was so excited when I made my appointment with my Primary Care Doc for my physical. I went to her office with my folder of questions and information - I had my form filled out to get copies of my medical records. I just knew she would be happy for me b/c she has always bugged me about my weight and my smoking. In the middle of my physical I bring up my desire to have the surgery. I outlined my family history, I went over my own health issues, I talked about quality of life, everything! Next think I know, she starts talking about how insurance companies shouldn't have to pay for this surgery, she says they would go bankrupt if she recommends surgery for everyone "over 200 lbs.", she said it was a waste of my time and hers b/c I would never be approved! Hmmm....It took about that long for me to realize that I needed a new doctor. She lost a patient that day that had been with her for 15 years and countless office remodeling jobs. I was so hurt that a doctor cared more about insurance companies than her own patient and couldn't see the forest for the trees when it came to how beneficial this surgery would be for BOTH parties!
I made an appointment with a new PCP at the Frist Clinic in Nashville. He was wonderful! He spent over an hour with me just going over my medical records and history. I explained what I was trying to do, and he was very thorough in making sure I was a good candidate. Over the next couple of months we worked through my diet, exercise, and medical issues to make sure I was fit enough for this surgery. He finally gave me the go ahead the end of November. I submitted my paperwork the 2nd week of December. I heard back that I needed a surgical consult and nutrician visit before my insurance company would look at my referral. I got in on January 2nd. Dr. Dyer is my surgeon and he is terrific. I couldn't be more pleased with our visit to his office and how much time he spent with me and my husband. I feel very comfortable having him as my surgeon. Centennial sent my paperwork to my insurance company on January 9th and I was accepted and approved on January 18th! My surgery date is now on Febuary 1, 2007!
I cannot wait! Everyone is asking me if I am scared. NO! I am not! I am thrilled to finally have a tool that is going to help me lose this godforsaken weight and the best part is that I can quit smoking without worrying about gaining another 50 lbs.! I have had enough fine meals in my lifetime. I am ready to have some fine adventures with my husband and kids! I am ready to live the life I have always dreamed of! I am ready to feel good! Now, I know you are probably thinking that I have no idea what I am about to go through being this happy and excited, but I do. I have been reading these blogs for months! I have talked to so many people who have had this surgery and I am well aware of the physical crap I will go through to get to my happy state of living the life I have dreamed of. I am ready for it! Bring it on! I am looking at this surgery like I would a pregnancy except I give birth gradually to all that weight I have been carrying. Instead of being "good" for the baby, I am going to be "good" for myself. I am going to eat healthy and drink plenty of water because it's good for the person I am becoming. Sounds crazy, but it's how I feel.
So, that's my story. At least for now. Say some prayers! God bless you and yours!
|
Waiting for Approval
Send Message
Member Card
Block Member
Comment by 
Comment by 
Had RNY Surgery on December 15, 2010
