Update - over 1 year later - December 16, 2008

Dec 16, 2008

I can't believe my one year surgiversary has come and gone. I kept meaning to update, but "life" is keeping me busy.

There are so many new faces on the sleeve board and I wish you all well.

Here's an update on me:

I am down just about 150 pounds and my surgery was on August 20, 2007. It saved my life.  Actually, my DH saved my life. When we found out the insurance wouldn't pay for it, I was fuming. I didn't want the bypass. We came home from seeing Dr. Rosenthal and I was in such a mood. I was doing laundry and throwing things around and DH was on the computer. I was beyond irate when I saw him on the computer when I was so upset about the insurance not covering the sleeve. I yelled, "What the heck are you doing?" and I was crying and he turned around, with this big old sh-- eating grin and said, "I moved things around, you are getting your surgery." So when I say that my DH saved my life, I mean it.

Unfortunately, my DH died of a heart attack at the age of 41, less than 6 weeks after my surgery.  He saved my life and the guilt I have about not being able to save his, kills me.  He was overweight, not morbidly obese, but we had no idea how bad his heart was. He was admitted into the hospital on October 4, stented twice, sent home on October 14 and he died an hour later in bed.  My life has been turned upside down. A 38 year old widow.  I firmly believe that if I didn't have the surgery and he died, I would be well over 400 pounds and housebound. He saved my life.

I love the sleeve and physically, I feel better than I have ever felt. I can play tennis, walk for hours, bend over and tie my shoes, sit on the ground, sit in booths and not worry if I'm going to fit. The seatbelt on the plane fits fine and the one in my car no longer cuts into my neck. I fit comfortably in the chairs in the salon and my fat doesn't stick out the sides. I can button the smock when I get my hair colored. I can cross my legs. I wear high heels from places like Nine West and feel stylist and I don't feel like I'm going to fall over. All these simple things (and there are more) that were not so simple 150 pounds ago are now part of my world. 

I still have about 40-50 pounds to go and it is harder now to lose the weight. I want to tell the world how great I feel. I get sad when I see a SMO person struggling to get around and I just want to wrap my arms around him/her and share my story, but I don't. I wouldn't have wanted it done to me when I was 330 pounds. So I smile and go about about my business.

I never wanted to start dating, but DH's mother and sister threatened to put an ad online for me if I didn't, so I did. Not expecting to meet anyone, I did, back in July.  Of all the men who contacted me, he was the only one who said, "I'm sorry about your loss."  He makes me laugh and I enjoy spending time with him. We are going to Chicago and Indianapolis to see family at the end of the month over New Years. We both want to start this New Years in a different place, and for me, it's more of a mental thing.

All the best to all of you.  Feel free to contact me at any time. I have gotten so much support and friendship here and I would like nothing more than to give it back.

Stacey
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About Me
Coral Springs, FL
Location
32.9
BMI
VSG
Surgery
08/20/2007
Surgery Date
Mar 21, 2007
Member Since

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