TheresaK
All the advice and words of encourgement have meant alot.
I live a wonderful fullfilled life and I'm ready to start this new journey.
I have two wonderful children that mean the world to me and I'm so very proud of them both, I have a wonderful husband and two step (I hate that word) children and grandbaby, a sister in Illinois and Georgia, along with nieces and nephews that I love them all very dearly!!
Dr. Aguirre, Rosella, Bamby was everything and more that everyone else has commented about. Hubby and I felt very at ease being in Mexico being the little "country hicks" that we are. The hospital from the outside didn't look like much but then don't judge a book by it's cover. Up stairs my room was VERY clean and everything new looking. I felt comfortable and was very well taken care of during my stay. Dr. Aguirre is very thorough and always opened to questions and never in a hurry to rush off. He explained everything before, during and after. Rosella was very accomadating and always bubbly and smiling. Bamby was a wonderful "tour" driver and chauffer. Well worth the money if you are not fimilar with the area or how to get to Ensenada. He made the trip to and from Mexico very enjoyable. The last couple days we were even 'sad' to have to leave such a comfortable relaxing enviroment. I would do it again in a heartbeat and have NO regrets! This surgery has given me a new lease on life and a new journey to a healthier ME!
My surgery in Ensenada, Mexico started with a day of packing on Sept. 25, 2005. I had a list to work off of from a collection of profiles I had read plus other little things I wanted to take. Woke up early on flight day, Monday and we left out the door at 6 am which we knew was early, our flight was at 9:45 from BWI but I always like being early. Since there was much more traffic then we anticipated I'm glad we left early. Upon arriving at the airport we were leaving our car in the shuttle parking, something over the past 10 years of flying Southwest we had never done. We had so much trouble 'getting' to the shuttle parking. I had to call Southwest to get directions and just feeling a little pressure with time got a bit irritated. Getting settled in the parking not quite knowing what to expect we stood with our luggage like country hicks. Hubby and I wouldn't be good at the amazing race game. Anyway we got off to SanDiego, CA arriving with Bamby waiting to pick us up. Bamby was everything plus more of what everyone said. So very informative. We had a very nice ride to Ensenada. Arriving at the apartment around 3:30 pm Rosella stopped by and said she would be back at 5 to take me to get my test and have my consultation with the Doctor. Rosella is everything everyone has spoken about, friendly, bubbly, warm, caring, beautiful and MORE! She was very prompt and I had blood drawn, peed in a cup and a EKG. When I walked into the Doctor's office he was there waiting with a warm welcoming smile. He was also everything everyone has ever said about him. Dr. Aguirre was very thorough and patient to answer any questions.
Surgery Day, Sept. 27, 2005 - Up bright and early to take a shower and be ready by 7 am. Rosella was there with her smiling face. Hubby was in such turmoil and nervous. I on the other hand was at peace with my decision and was trying to be strong for him as I didn't want anything to happen to him. Upon arriving at the hospital, I got to my room, number 5. It was very nice, simple, clean, new. I got in a gown and my legs were wrapped. I think my IV was put in my left wrist but I'm not sure. The anethethogist came in with a interperter and asked a few questions and said I could have the surgery. WHEW! I was happy! The time seemed to come quickly for me to be wheeled down to the surgery room. Kissed and hugged hubby and told him I love him. Wheeled into the surgery room, moved over onto the operating table and looked around. It was very clean and relaxing. Had the epidural put in and was told I was getting some tequilla and that beautiful structured ceiling started spinning nicely and the last thing I remember saying is "That was some good stuff". I woke to the sound of someone saying my name over and over and the next time I woke was in my room. I think they keep you pretty sedated with pain meds and hubby saids I kept repeating myself. "That was some good stuff" My stay at the hospital went very well with no complicatons. I did throw up a little but it was more 'spit' and was given a shot. My IV blew out the second day and had to be put in my right top hand. My left arm and hand was swollen from the fluid under my skin. I got to go back to the apartment Thursday afternoon.
Apartment - I had reserved apartment 1 but when I got to Ensenada someone else was in it, Gaby and I got 2. It was nice but after seeing Apartment 1 it was nicer. The next few days was mainly recovery. Doing my breathing exercises and trying to suck those balls to the top, sleeping, walking, watching tv and emailing family. I was needing a drink so badly and couldn't have anything until Saturday. At that time I was cautious just taking very little sips and did well. Sunday, Oct. 2 was my first big day out. Hubby and I walked to the park and spent the afternoon watching the Mexicans take turns at singing. Though I can not understand any Spanish it was nice and relaxing.
Oct. 3 - Monday was our big shopping day! Rosella picked us up around 10:30 am and took us to first street and dropped us off with the cell to call her when we wanted her to pick us up. We walked up one side and down the other looking at various shops, restraurant etc. We purchased a few souviners for the kids and ourselfs. Then we started looking for eating places that had soup. Finally we came across a nice restaruant that said they could cream the potato soup. Talk about DELICOUS! Yum! Hubby had to try the fish tacos upon everyone's suggestion. He said they were 'ok' but had the same thing the next day also. Eating out was good and bad. The food was delicous but the head game was horrible. My soup was very satisfying but giving my freshly baked small loaf of bread to hubby was hard and wanting to sample his fish tacos but I got pass it.
Oct. 4 - Tuesday - Rosella came around 10 to take me to the hospital for Lulu to remove half of the 32 staples and the nasty G-Bag! What a relief!!
Oct. 5 - Wed. - Lulu came early around 7 am to remove the last half of the staples.
Arrived at the airport 3 hours ahead of time and asked for a pre-boarding pass and was told there was a NON stop flight to BWI leaving right now, noon and there was room if we would like to get on that. Heck yeah!! We arrived home around 10:15 pm saving us around 4-5 hours travel time.
Oct. 25th - Wow it's been 4 weeks since my surgery. Today I went to my personal doctor for a check up. I lost 20 pounds! I'm on my way. Everything seems to be going ok. I will continue to check my blood sugars. They have ranged from 99-159 being the highest. I hope as I lose more weight the numbers become more in the normal range and stay there. I'm currently not taking any meds. My foot is still bothering me with the neuropathy and I still have the itchy rash on my leg. My incision looks great! The doctor suggest cocoa butter cream to take away some of the redness. I will go in December to have blood drawn and see the doctor again in January 2006. I've gotten sick twice so far. Once on Salmon and another time I picked just a tiny piece of potato from hubby's cheesy hash browns. Who would of thought such a little piece would cause so much upset. I drink 3 protein drinks a day and take all my vitamins regually throughout the day.
January 3rd, 2006 - 14 weeks - New Year NEW ME! Having gastric bypass is a roller coaster ride. There are alot of ups and downs. Lots of new ways of eating and what to eat and how much to eat. Frustration at not being able to eat the 'old' foods. I use to love chicken and now it doesn't agree with me. I am starting to 'test' the waters with more foods just chew chew chew and eat slowly! I try not to eat more then a half cup of any food. If I feel I have to have a snack it is something healthy or sugar free. I love cheese! Shrimp has settled well with me now. Gosh guess I should mention I've lost 51 pounds! I weigh 249 which is down from my beginning weight of 300. I've been passing some mile stones like I have a LAP! for my poodle to sit on, I cross my legs!, I just bought my first new pair of jeans which I haven't worn for over 10 years, my underwear is getting baggy. I find hubby staring at me, he saids I'm someone new everyday, his grandma thought he brought a new 'lady' with him. She had a hard time with the concept of the surgery. Thinks I could say I'm not eating this or that and thought they 'removed' something. Like my stomach from the outside since it has gone down? My sugar is under control though I still have pain with the neuopathy in my left foot. My rash is clearing up on my legs. I can't wait to summer to get some tan! I take my regiment of vitamins daily and drink 3 protein drinks. I love Champion Stack Chocolate! I exericise by lifting 3 pound weights, leg lifts and run in place. I'm finally starting to see and notice the difference. I've had blood taken and will be going to the doctor Thursday, Jan. 6 to find out the results. I only did some of the basics which still cost $250 lab work from the hospital plus my doctor visit $70.
You should of seen me at the mall in my new jeans! *laffs* First after I bought them hubby wanted me to wear them so I asked for them to remove the tags so I could go and put them on. (I did the same thing with my shirt from Sears I had on in the picture) but anyways getting back to my story. As we are going down the esculater I'm so proud in my new outfit. I turned back to look up at hubby and he was grinning and the lady behind him was looking at me. Can you imagaine my horror when she said "um you have a tag on your pants" OMG!! It was one of those clear tags that run down the back of your leg. Talk about embarrassed!! I said OMG, I paid for these honestly, just I lost alot of weight and couldn't wait to wear them.
January 21, 2006 - I'm at a stall on the scale but seem to be losing inches. I'm at 244 which is a total of 56 pounds lost of 300 GONE FOREVER! A few people I know are amazed at the transformation and say I look like a different person. A girl in the jewelry shop said it is the first time she seen me in 'real' clothes. Mmmmmm... wonder what I wore before? *laffs* She also said she sees my hips!! I can just laugh and smile proudly of the compliments. I also can wear a size 7 Ring!! Wow pop it out of the show case on my finger. I've been wearing my wedding ring on my middle finger for quite some time now. I believe it is a size 9. I've noticed a scar I have on my arm moving back further around my arm and of course I'm getting the dreaded 'batwings' but never expected a 'scar' to move. Odd stuff!! I try to take a fast pace walk daily and I have some hand weights I work with. Sam and I went out to eat today to a Chinese Buffet. I don't feel right having to punish him with not eating the things he wants even if I can't. I figured I'd get a 'to go' container and eat out of along with him so I could take some food home since I only eat around a half cup. Well I guess it don't work that way. They would give me the container when we were ready to go. SO I sat and watched Sam and everyone around me eating. It wasn't that bad really. I'm amazed at all the overweight people, still including myself, of all ages, sex and nationality. So Sam finished and I got my 'to go' container and FILLED IT! Back out in the car I started eating a few pieces well I either ate too fast or the wrong thing and pouchy got MAD at me. I was in pain for awhile. Hubby and I sat in Target's parking lot while I was in misery then we took a little nap!! Ha!! Talk about 'old' people. Usually when my pouch gets upset like that it puts me out of commision for quite some time. I still wasn't feeling the best in the store. I picked up another pair of jeans at the Goodwill as I hate wearing my bigger 'frumpy' clothes now. $3.50 for jeans can't beat that! I think I'll be stopping in there more often.
3-11-06
Yesterday at the auction Sue (the auctioneers sister) said I was looking good and Jessica (the auctioneer) said "yeah how skinny you gonna get?" and another lady (that I see all the time at auctions) said she had to look twice because she didn't recognize me that you can really see a big difference now in my face. Sam couldn't find me yesterday and I was standing only a couple feet from him. Ryan came over last night and his eyes got big when he seen me and said I'm melting. Later I asked him what he noticed the most and he just said my whole body you can tell even my nose. It's not as big!! *laughing* hmmmm.. never realized I had a big NOSE! *cries*
4-29-06 Another wow moment. Was at a yard sale looking at clothes when the person running it was standing by me saying how nice the clothes were as they were her daughters and most of them were a quarter or fifty cents. I was looking at a sweater and commented about the 'band' around the bottom. WELL she said "you aren't that big". I said "SAY IT AGAIN!"
I now weigh 215 a lost of 85 pounds!!
You have a BMI of 32.6.
This indicates that you are Obese.
7-11-06 Well this has been a AMAZING journey! I am in my 10th month since my surgery and have lost 105 pounds!! At the end of May I decided to take a trip back 'home' to see my relatives as I hadn't seen them since my surgery. Of course hubby wanted to go along to see the reactions. I do send pictures to them with my progress through emails but I do not think it is the same as seeing in person. I did cheat a bit and not send them the last couple months just telling them there has been no changes. So going back was a surprise to everyone as I did not tell them even though I had been planning it for a couple months. My first stop was at my sisters house because of course that is where I stay. I had hubby park the car on the side of the house and not in the driveway. My brother in law answered the door and I just put my finger to my lips and went "shhhhhhh.." not thinking he may not of even known me and bardged right in. Sis was sitting in her chair in the dark as usual. I walked in and said "hi sis" with no response. Hmmmm.. so I said it again and stepped closer. Still silence. Finally getting closer and after turning on the light she recognized it was ME! She was so surprised and couldn't stop hugging me as I couldn't her. I think she was so surprised that she didn't reconize her little younger sis! And later my brother in law addmitted to not knowing me. I'm surprised he let me walk in but then I didn't ask I just went in. Maybe I should of tried selling something. Wonder how long before they would of caught on? Another moment is when I went to DQ to see my step sister whom I grew up with. Walking in I seen her husband who looked then looked away. My hubby said something and I said "ya pretty good when your own cousin doesn't remember you". His eyes got big and he was simply amazed and shocked. He couldn't even look at me when talking saying I looked so different now. Well my sister wasn't there but was due to get back anytime. I stood talking to her hubby when she walked in. (her hubby thought for sure she would recognize me) Well I continued to talk to her hubby when I heard her ask her co worker "who is that?". I turned to look at her but continued to talk to her hubby. I heard her once again say "WHO the HELL is that?". Laughing I walked towards her removing my sunglasses she still just looked at me. I said "you don't recognize your own sister?" Her mouth dropped and her eyes got big and she whispered "Theresa?". My whole visit and getting together with my family was pretty much the same. Shock and surprise and not knowing me. My daughter was also surprised and told me how good I look and pretty and I'm going to be getting smaller then her. It's hard to describe how proud I am now to be out in public.
Hubby came to pick me up on July 1st and was so surprised at the changes since he had last seen me in June. He accepted me before being overweight but the glow and sparkle in his eyes when he sees me now is unexplainable. He is full of glowing compliments and loves hugging me as his arms fit better around me now. I feel so much better 'beside' him now.
It's a little hard to accept the baggy skin the weight lost has left but hopefully in the future I will be able to do something about it. For now I am enjoying shopping for clothes and not believing I can actually fit in clothes that are not plus sizes. Shopping in the regular section and not the "women's". Old habits are hard to break when I've been so use to going for the largest size on the KMart rack and sometimes those not even fitting. We had to clean out the dresser and get hubby his own as I needed more drawers. Everyone saids I look fantastic and younger. Looking in the mirror I see a different person too. Somedays I'm not quite sure it is "ME". My face is so different and I've lost alot of my stomach and butt. Turning sideways is now a pleasure. Of course I see the 'bad' spots too. The skin/stomach that is left, the saggy butt and breasts, hanging thigh skin, and my bat/angel arm wing but I'll take all of those for the healtier happier ME!!
My appetite has come back but with will power and control and my new pouch telling me 'thats enough' I will control it. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself and I don't want to fail at it. I am taking all my supplements and drinking 3 protein drinks a day. Sad to say my hair has really thinned out. I do color it and had it permed but none of this has helped. I'm hoping that in time it will restore itself. Most days I feel fantastic! Running around to yard/garage sale are no longer a 'chore' I LOVE it! Hubby has a hard time keeping up with me. My neuopathy has gotten better in my foot but is still there. Always tender and 'sleeping' feeling. I can not run as I do not have control over that foot at all times and it trips me up. I walk when I can, down the road and with a DVD and I dance with Richard Simmons.
BMI - Btwn 26 and 30 Moderately Overweight !!
9-27-06
Well its been a year since my whole life has been changed by my trip to Ensenada. This morning I weighed 182.6 which is 117.6 pounds lost and never want to be found again!! I feel so much better about myself. Sometimes I look in a mirror and wonder who the person is looking back at me. I look completely different to myself so I understand when acquaintances don't recognize or know me. Hubby is my biggest fan. I find him staring at me, checking me 'out', walking behind me to check me 'out'. He loves all the 'new to me' clothes I try on. I have purchased so many I can change outfits everyday for a year! (well Maybe) I got in a size 6 dress the other day. 6!?!?!?? unbelievable. I bought a size 14 shorts and fit in them comfortably. My jeans are a size 16 yet. The bottom part of my body is my problem area BUT I am so thrilled with where I am and only hope for better things. One morning I got dressed and hubby looked at me and quickly said "Where are you going?". Ha!! I wasn't going anywhere but he just isn't use to seeing me dressed nice and normal. I can eat like a normal person now just with smaller portions. I try not to snack and if so I grab healthier snacks. I stay away from breads, pasta's, rice, desserts, sugars etc. I try to drink as much as I can during the day. This week I go for my 'yearly' blood work to see how my body is doing with all my vitamins and supplements. I drink 2 protein drinks a day. I was drinking 3 but cut back on one hoping to get some protein from the foods I eat. I've actually been called skinny! or looking thin! ME?? I've discovered bones I never knew I had like hip, shoulder, arm, even finger bones!! Julyy 22nd I had to get my hair cut. It had thinned so badly and dried out. I felt like I had a bad witches wig on. It took some getting use to and I yearned for my long hair to be back but I knew it was the best thing to do. Now hubby is getting use to it really likes it and wants me to keep it short. I NEVER thought I would hear him say that! I'm gonna try not to color it or perm it for awhile. It is feeling softer and thicker finally.
About Me
Beautiful Amish Country in, PA
Location
26.9
BMI
Surgery
09/27/2005
Surgery Date
Jul 04, 2005
Member Since
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
Sept. 23 '05 compared to Sept. 27 '06 Do you see a difference!?!!?
300 - 182.lbs
Sept. 23 '05 compared to Sept. 27 '06 I am happy!!
300 - 182.lbs
