any difference?  
Ignore the face & hair, wild day and ignore the too big sweater!

11/22/04

I almost died... trying to take the "easy way out".

During the operation that would change my life,

for the better. 

One year ago today, I underwent LAP RNY, the surgery itself went smoothly, but when closing,  the staple gun misfired, nicking my Spleen.  My surgeon tried for nearly 3 hours to stop the bleeding via the LAP incisions without success.   I ended up getting cut OPEN from breastbone to belly button to have my Spleen removed.   It was either that.. or die.  

I did not go to my surgeon to die.  Dr. Trace Curry saved my life,
more than once on that day.   I have nothing but the highest respect for this man, a man that truly believes in this surgery and cares deeply about his patients.  He follows his patients journeys, he is closer than a phone call, whenever I have a question, I see his face, he's on our message board, he is always within ear shot, even though I am 200 miles away.  This Doctor is one to be admired.

I was a pretty healthy fat girl, going into the surgery with Sleep Apnea, Edema, Asthma, COPD, joint pain, Celulitis and living out of a wheelchair and then of course add  depression to the mix.   I had fallen down my steps, 13 1/2 years previously, dislocating my right hip 6", in turn damaging my lower back, before my hips were almost aligned again.  I had always been a big girl, but after hurting my back, I packed the weight on at a horrid pace, making it impossible for my legs to carry me any longer.  Dieting only slowed down the weight gain, or I imagine I would have easily topped the scales at a 5 - 600 lbs.  

I could not take care of myself, my sons took care of me, literally, right down to cutting my toes nails.  My youngest had never seen his Momma active.  What kind of life was that?

It wasn't a life, it was an existance.

After 5 years of research, broken roads and hopes I finally was approved to get my tool.  The last RNY Surgeon in my city, stopped taking my insurance 1 week before my approval came in.
If anyone learned patience, it was me. 

It was so very hard over those years, as I have volunteered for this site going on 4 years.  I have see people come, go, get thin, some that never get to make this journey. I compliment every single post-op that hangs around and offers their words of wisdom and newly learned lifestyle changes.  They are the real teachers here, the people that have lived the story.   I even lost some dear friends over the years here at Obesityhelp.com.  Some people complain when they have to wait, 2, 3 even 6 months and jump all the hoops our Insurance companies ask of us.  I wish that had been all I waited.  

Life - how quickly it can turn, from good to bad, to ugly.  I wished I had died the 1st 3 months after my surgery, the road to recovery was slow and long. 

Now I am so glad I lived!  Because once again I am LIVING LIFE!  My wheelchair has grown dusty, as has my C-pap and all the medications I was on for different ailments. 

I thank the Lo-d every day for giving me a second chance at life. 

Now a year later, my youngest son can barely keep up with me, I wear him out.
I have so much energy! I have a life!  I want to do everything.. I am free from the binders of fatness.

No I am not thin, I probably will never be that.  Do I care? Nope, cause I'm living.  Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat.

What I've learned - how to be healthy and enjoy life. 

love to all my family here on OH.com

Vickie
11/22/05
348/319/177/???