Diane Gracely
Started this in MAY 2003. I am looking forward to starting the WLS program. I have my first appointment for the seminar 6/19/03. I have researched this for more than a year. I am ready! I have already attended support group and also met people in the area who have been through the surgery and had great success. I own my own home business selling on Ebay, I have a 9 year old son.
June 2003 - Went to Dr Bonanni's support group meeting this week. Very interesting. People seem happy with the weight they have lost. I can't wait to get started... but I have been told it is a long road ahead... through appointment after appointment till surgery.
Please keep me in your prayers that this all works out for me to have the surgery. I am 330lbs now. I used to weigh 125lbs at one time in my early 20's. Then I had a child, had foot reconstruction on both feet which laid me up for three years. That is when I really put the weight on. Now it is VERY hard to lose.
9/24/03 - Waiting on a date now. Just seen the cardiologist today.
10/06/03 - Got the clearance for surgery from the cardiologist today woohoo! Now I see the pulmonary doctor tomorrow. And I am STILL waiting for a phone call with a surgery date..... Oh and I am down to 329 lbs from starting at 339 when I started this journey.
10/08/03 - I got a SURGERY DATE!!!!!! Woohooooo. November 26, 2003.
10/29/03 - OK My date is getting closer and I am nervous, but very excited too. The only thing that scares me is I don't want to die, I am too young. And I want to live life HAPPY and Thin, ok or at least smaller than I am NOW! LOL I have my pre-op appointment November 5th and my pre-admission testing November 19th. Then the BIG DAY November 26th! I plan on listening to everything I am told. So please say prayers for me that this whole thing is at least close to a breeze to get through surgery and be healthy.
11/13/03- My sugery date has be moved up to MONDAY!!! 11/17/03.
I am so excited! I will soon be a loser too!
11/16/03- OK here we goooooo.... tomorrow is my BIG DAY! I will become a loser. I am so excited and a little nervous, but I know I can do this. I am very confident that I will have much success as all of you have. I just want to say that I love all of my family and most of all you God, this is happening because you have helped me to get this far. Thank you all. Lots of love and hugs to my BF Terry and my son Ryan, and Terry's son Greg, and daughter Missy and son Bradley. Love you all! And you too AMOS friends!!!! See you on the other side......
12/03/03- OK here it is a little over two weeks since surgery. I am doing well. I have lost 21 lbs so far. Had a scare last week though, they thought they saw something in my lung as in a blood clot but it turned out negative. WHEEWW What a scare that was.
12/13/03- All is going pretty well I am down 28 lbs since surgery. I had a follow up with Dr. B. and he said I am doing great and I should start my exercising and next week start soft foods. Woohoo. I will try. Eating is not much around here. I get in some water and some protein shakes but not alot of food. I eat sometimes 3 times a day, sometimes 2. I cannot get 6 mini meals in yet. I can tell if I eat too much or something doesn't go down well, I get nauseated for about an hour. But no dumping or anything. I am doing about 1/4 cup at a time. Sometimes a little more.
01/08/04- OK drum roll please???????????????
I am down 49 lbs since surgery!!! Down two pants sizes too!!!! Went from a 26 to a 22. Can't wait to see a 16!!
OH YEAH and my stomach does NOT touch the steering wheel any more!!! LOL
2/21/04- Wow finally feeling much better after being through the flu over the holidays and then an infection in my belly. But I am still here and still losing. I lost -59 lbs so far. I am now in a size 20. I was stuck on a plateau for about 3 weeks. But I finally broke that.
4/1/04- Well these plateaus really suck but I am down -74 lbs now. Still can't wait to see below 200.
4/21/04- I am down 90 lbs! Woohoo! In a size 18W. I cannot believe it. People tell me I look great!
06/28/04- Well had to have my gallbladder out two weeks ago. Feeling pretty good now. What a difference in weight! I am down to 212 now and in a size 16. Can't wait to get below 200 but it is coming.... soon :)
08/12/04- Just got back from our yearly vacation at Knoebels Amusement Park and Campground. What a great time we had. It feels so good not to be stared at because of my weight, now I actually have people looking at me and smiling and saying HI. And my walking was much better and this year I could FIT on all the rides. Woohoo. AND I am now in a Misses size 14. And I don't remember being under a misses size 16 before. My goal is 160 lbs. I now weigh 203 lbs so I still have 43 lbs to go. I hope to get into a size 10 someday soon. But I will be happy with a 12. Thank God for WLS. Now the rest is up to me.
10/12/04- Well I am now in a size 12 and hope to soon be fitting into a size 10. I thank God for this amazing surgery. And things have gone so well. I never thought I would be this thin again. I feel great. I even got a part time job at our local school as a lunch lady in the cafeteria and I like it. And feeling my HIP bones was an amazing discovery this month. LOL Didn't think I had any. I am only 18 pounds away from the goal I set for myself. But really hope to do better than that now since the weight just keeps coming off because my ideal weight for my height is 130 lbs and right now I am at 178 lbs. But I will be happy to make it to 160 lbs. And then I will still know that I have at least another 10 lbs + in excess skin too. So really I would be at about 150 or so. Right now I am not sure if I will go through tummy tucks and arm lifts or not. I have hanging skin but it is not too bad. I can live with it if I have too.
11/17/04- TODAY is my 1 year anniversary. WOOHOO I feel great. I have lost 162 lbs, I am in a size 10. Thank GOD for WLS.
5/18/05- Long time since I updated here!!! Woooo... I am now 139 lbs, a size 6 and loving it! New boyfriend in my life who is so good to me.... couldn't ask for more.....
8/05/05- am really scared.... I have been in the emergency room twice this week. I cannot have a bowel movement they say my bowel is full. Last night I did an enema and NOTHING. I was in serious pain on Tuesday, it has gotten better but still pain and NO movement. I had surgery November 2003 and had no serious problems till now. I have not been able to barely eat for 2 weeks plus, I feel sick, I feel like everything is backed up. I am now getting scared that something is seriously wrong. My surgeon is on vacation, I am seeing my family doctor today. But what is wrong? Hospital says it is not a bowel obstruction. They gave me an enema last night and told me to take about 3 or 4 stool softners a day. I took 4 yesterday, plus did the enema last night and still nothing. I should be done losing and now because of this problem I have lost 9 pounds in the past two weeks cause I can barely eat anything. I cannot afford to lose any more. I am already a size 4. PLEASE I need advice and encouragement........
9/13/05- OK all is well here in Reading, PA. I am back to normal. They did tests because they thought I may have stomach cancer but everything came back OK, thank GOD. My only problem is an ulcer which can be healed by taking nexium. I still have not gained back the weight I lost while sick those few weeks but that's ok I am feeling better and in a size 4 - 6. Never been in this size in my life! Just a note to all of you.... constipation can be a BIG issue after this surgery if you do not eat right and take care of yourself and believe me you do not want to go through what I just went through. Take care of yourself and eat right.
5/24/06 - I just spent last night in the ER, I have a kidney stone. When they did a CT Scan a red flag came up for a possible Bowel Obstruction. LOVELY just what I need now. I don't know if there really is one or not, I have been having normal bowel movements.
Dr Bonanni is no longer in business in my area and Dr Beetle has taken over for him but they are REFUSING to see me because I still OWE them under $700 from my surgery that my insurance did not cover. I am on social security disability and cannot afford to pay it. soooo NOW what do I do???????????
5/27/06 - Well thank God for my primary doctor. She is going to take care of me. And to think I thought Dr Bonanni and Dr Beetle were human beings with feelings, compassion and I thought they really cared about their patients.......... silly me, like most doctors they are just in it for the money. This surgery cost HOW MUCH? And I owe them a measly $700 and they refuse to see me unless I pay it.... even though I have full coverage insurance now. hhhmmm
7/25/06- I just got married on June 30th to my high school sweetheart. We had not seen each other in years and ran into each other again 1 1/2 years ago... thank God I was skinny again! LOL We began dating and just got married. We are so in love, it is GREAT having a NEW life.
I have not regreted ANYTHING I have done. I am so happy that I had this surgery and cannot believe how much my life has changed!
Here is my weight loss log-
Started in May 2003 at 339 lbs
Day of surgery 11/17/03 - 329 lbs
12/03/03- 308 lbs
12/13/03- 301 lbs
01/08/04- 280 lbs -49 lbs lost since surgery day- gone forever!!!!
02/21/04- 270 lbs -59 lbs
04/01/04- 255 lbs -74 lbs
04/21/04- 239 lbs -90 lbs
06/01/04- 226 lbs -103 lbs
06/28/04- 212 lbs -117 lbs
07/09/04- 206 lbs -123 lbs
08/12/04- 203 lbs -126 lbs lost since surgery day
08/30/04- 196 lbs -133 lbs
09/06/04- 193 lbs -136 lbs
10/09/04- 178 lbs -151 lbs
11/11/04- 171 lbs -158 lbs
11/17/04- 167 lbs -162 lbs 1 YEAR Anniversary!
11/30/04- 164 lbs -165 lbs
05/18/05- 139 lbs -190 lbs
08/05/05- 133 lbs -196 lbs lost since surgery day!
11/09/06- 130 lbs - 199 lbs lost since surgery day!!!!!
12/09/07- 150 lbs gained some weight back but still in a size 12. Not bad.
5/16/08- 177 lbs need to lose some weight.... :(
11/19/08- 190 lbs One year since hyperparathyroid surgery
7/17/09- 227 lbs.
1/27/10- 256 lbs not happy with this weight gain. :(
