Two years ago, yesterday...
It was 2 years ago that I had my surgery, and that day has changed my whole world. I am so much happier, healthier, and I want to thank you all for your support over this time. This has been one amazing journey. In many ways it seems like yesterday, yet in many ways it seems like another lifetime. The surgery is the single best thing I’ve ever done for myself. At age 39, I am experiencing a level of energy and fitness I’ve never known before at any age.
As you know, my gastric bypass story had been years in the making. Four years ago, with the help of my sister-in-law, we began the journey down this road together and I couldn’t have done it without her. Two years later, October 18, 2006, the scariest day of my life, became the first day of a totally new life, one that has gotten even better during year two. The first year I was just learning how to go with the flow, experiencing many ups and downs, and many ‘firsts’. After my first anniversary, I started to come out of my shell, as many have described it. I made new friends and re-acquainted with old friends, and began to go out socially. The first time I actually went out was December 1, 2007, and that was the date I embarked on a whole new chapter in my life.
Two years ago: I was 282 pounds heavier! Yes, that is not a typo! As of today, my two-year anniversary, I have lost 282 pounds! My body mass index (BMI) went from 73.4 to 34. I was wearing a tight size 54 or 5-6x, today I'm wearing size 14/16; yes, your size, a normal person’s size! Who would have guessed it? Certainly not me, I never would have believed I'd do this well, but I did and I'm proud of it! I can’t wait for the day I can borrow someone’s clothes! I have even lost 2, yes 2, shoe sizes and went down a width as well! And… for the icing on the cake…the numbers on that scale each month are still going DOWN after 2 years!!!
The road has been full of potholes, but I've made it past them all and am very very happy I had this surgery! I smile a lot now. My life has changed so much in the things I can do and the things I want to do. Don't get me wrong, I like to think I was happy before surgery, I think I'm a happy person overall, but not carrying around an extra 282 pounds everyday just makes me smile even more than before. I think I will always be a big girl in my head. They say it takes a long time for our brains to catch up with what we see in the mirror, and it really is true. Quite often I am asked to do something, try something new, and I think, I can’t do that, I can’t fit in there or that won’t fit… because 2 years ago, I never could have… I have a hard time realizing I am less than ½ the size I was and can do anything I want to now.
Everyday I discover something new that I never knew was possible. Little things, that people take for granted all the time..... One thing I remember Traci reminding me of was the day I met with my surgeon for the first time and decided to have surgery. The doctor asked why I decided to have surgery. I had forgotten what I said, and months later, she said my answer was “to feel better and to get down on the floor and play with my niece and nephew”… I DID THAT THIS YEAR!
The biggest change is how I feel about myself. I'm a little more self-confident and have a little more self-esteem. I'm also able to do things most people take for granted, like cross my legs, wear clothes that fit, sit on an airplane, work out and play on the floor with children. Most importantly, I'm healthy.
Some of the highlights of year two…
v I have a social life and I have friends!
v After one drink, you feel tipsy, two drinks, I’m drunk! Three… I need a babysitter!
v I went on 2 dates this year – okay, one was a coffee date, but HE bought the coffee and we talked for 2 hours! And the other, bought me dinner at Houlihan’s… nothing came of either one, but they still are firsts in my book
v The girl, who never went anywhere alone, actually walked into a bar alone, sat at the bar, and had a drink, by herself. Granted, it helped that I knew the bartender a bit... but I still did it.
v One day, while driving on Route 130 from Delran to Delair, I drove side by side, next to my dad in his truck, and the whole time, he did not know it was me. Looked right at me; I even might say, maybe he was checking me out! Ha ha! Later I found out he was bragging to his friends about how he didn’t recognize the girl in the car next to him the whole ride home, until we both pulled up in the driveway at the same time!
v I sat in and drove a bumper car and felt like a little kid again
v I rode on a roller coaster, went on a water tube ride, and a log floom – granted all at
v A guy asked me for my phone number, that I met in a bar… okay, so my friend sent him a drink from me (still haven’t forgiven her for that one)… but…he did come and meet us at another bar later, to talk to me, and asked for my # - ok, so he never called… after doing my survey amongst single men, as to why do guys ask for phone numbers if they’re not going to call and realizing it’s because men are just idiots… he still asked, and bought me a drink, so that counts for something. Still, I am grateful for that feeling of excitement of having someone ask me for my phone number for the first time!
v While having a 2 hour phone conversation with a new/old friend J - at one point, I looked down, and realized I was sitting with my legs crossed!!!! I couldn’t believe it myself, and suddenly found myself switching off legs just to see what it looked and felt like… I don’t recall ever in my whole life, having been able to cross my legs! Now I find myself crossing my legs all the time!
v Bill, A manager from our
v Walked into work one morning, and a fellow co-worker (male) called me the Incredible Shrinking Woman! It amazes me at how many men are so complimentary.
v Have parked miles away from my destination, and walked my butt off, never breaking a sweat!
v I took a ride on a motorcycle!! Ok, so my eyes were closed the whole time, I screamed “oh my God” the entire time – which was only about 2 minutes! But…. I still did it – got my butt on a motorcycle, AND… loved it!
v Got down on the floor to play with my niece and nephew and felt like I was a toddler myself!
v Flew on an airplane and felt like a million bucks when I could buckle that seatbelt and had room to spare!
v I bought tops in size 14/16 – yes people, that’s a normal person’s size XL!!!! White House/Black Market and Cherry Hill Mall, here I come! I could not wait for the day I could get into your size people!
v Now, for the measurements!
o I’ve gone down 10 bra sizes (not too thrilled about this one!)
o Gone down 2 shoe sizes
o I’ve lost another 32.5 inches all-around
§ 9” in my hips
§ 2” in my thighs
§ 4” in my calves
§ 1” in my ankles and arms
§ 4.5” in my waist
§ 6.5” in my bust
§ .5” in my wrist
§ 1” in my neck
September 2008
Me inside my pre-surgery, size 5x pants… And no, I’m not stretching them out
Seeing the reaction of someone who hasn’t seen me in a while is priceless and makes me realize I am moving in the right direction. The positive reinforcement has given me the confidence to want to do better and keep going. I couldn’t have gotten this far without the constant support of my family and friends
Life since surgery, or even this past year, has been much different than the life I had before surgery. I have a more positive attitude, I feel a little bit more courageous, I’m no longer invisible to the world around me and I am no longer “afraid” of social situations. I don’t miss out on any events anymore. Life is so much easier without the burden of all of that excess weight. Having gastric bypass surgery was the best and bravest decision I’d ever made.
I am so much happier, healthier, and I want to thank you all for your support and encouragement over this time; it has helped make the road so much smoother. I still can’t believe another year has passed, and I can’t believe the transformation in that year.
Annette 
Keep up the great work. Congrats on the scale still moving at 2 yrs post-op. WOW!!!
Hugs,
"Failure is not when you make a mistake. It is when you give up trying."
