renebeau

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

I can't believe I am writing this post, 10 months after my surgery. I have surpassed my goal of 135 lbs. and currently hover at 128. I wear a size 4 - 6, a size I last wore at 25! I eat pretty much what I want. I mostly look for filling, protein things for meals and snacks, but I don't say no to the occasional treat. I had donuts recently! Yum yum!

I got so much positive feedback when school started. It was amazing! I had to buy all new clothes. And even shoes! I lost a shoe size with the weight! Of course, the compliments have slowed down. But I still feel great!  I love taking up less space in the world. I love not paying attention to where I am walking in case the pathway was too narrow for me. I love shopping in normal stores for normal sizes. And I feel pain and sadness for obese people who are still struggling. It is so NOTICEABLE how different people treat me now that I am thin. I never feel ashamed anymore about my appearance. It is a whole new world opening up to me.

I hope I can help others along their own journeys. I had stopped visiting OH when I was getting all of the positive feedback at work. I suspected that as VSGers met goal, they stopped posting because all of a sudden, food/eating was no longer a focus for them. It must be true, because that is what happened to me.

As a type 1 diabetic, I would be happy to talk to any diabetics wondering about VSGs. I also am a trained counselor, so I might have something to offer others who are contemplating this life changing surgery. Let me know if I can help YOU! 

What a difficult ride it has been. I ended up in the hospital TWICE for UTI and possible abscess. I took my last horse pill (antibiotic) last night. Yesterday, I finally started to feel "normal" - like my old self. It has been SO LONG since I felt normal. I am so relieved.

So far, the weight has been coming off with little effort on my part. I have been enjoying all kinds of foods. I am putting nothing off-limits. Most of the time, I don't even want cookies, chips, etc. Plus, I just can't fit much in. My nut said I can eat whatever I want, protein first. Now I wonder if I'll be one of those that can't stop losing weight after they reach goal. Hard to picture.

I do miss the comfort of eating a lot of food. Sometimes it feels like it is too much trouble to eat, since I can eat so little. But I am pleased that I am restricted in amount, and that it is easy for me to say no to many foods I used to mindlessly eat.

There were plenty of times during the last 7 weeks that I thought, what have I done? I wish I could go back before surgery and NOT do it! Now, I am more at peace.

It is true what they say - It gets better every day!!!

First of all, I would like to stand up and applaud all of you sleeve patients who get up and around so soon after surgery and are back at work in a few days. WOW.

I feel like a wimp, having had surgery 12/31 and still feeling crappy and not yet back to work. I know you can't compare "healing time", but I thought I would be back at work by now. Sigh.

Surgery day was yucky. I was dry heaving in the lobby, likely a virus gleaned from the grandbaby/family. I felt like the Journey Lite staff were all trying to get me to go home (New Years Eve) and I wasn't ready. But too weak to argue.

I was doing ok, just trying to get liquids in when I was hit with thrush. I have had it before (thank you, Type 1 diabetes) but never this bad. PCP gave me diflucan. I couldn't sleep. My teeth, jaws, tongue and roof of my mouth were so sore, it was hard to keep sipping. The lortab couldn't touch it. At least the diflucan seems to be working. My mild fever 100.3 is gone. And I am hungry.
The food porn on tv is affecting me.
Can't wait for mushies.
Can't wait till I feel "better"!