bilsgirl
I am a 57 year old gramma of seven and I feel like a kid again! I now weigh 135 pounds less than I did 20 months ago and I would have this surgery again tomorrow if need be.
I had struggled with my weight since I was a young wife. Obesity runs in my family, however, I probably was the most obese of all my immediate relatives. I started gaining weight shortly after I got married. My husband was a tall, skinny kid who could (and did) eat everything in sight without gaining a pound. I jokingly told him I was just trying to keep up with him, but I did gain weight and alarmingly fast too. By the time I had my first child I was almost 200 pounds at only 5'2". I lost a little after my son was born but it quickly found me again. After five years and no more babies, my husband and I decided that we must have been meant to only have one child. I decided to do something about my weight and so I joined Weight Watchers. I successfully lost 75 pounds and was feeling great. I got pregnant! The weight came back quickly after our daughter was born, and when I found I was pregnant again when she was only three months old, I knew I was destined to put it all back on.
Throughout my children's growing years, I was overweight, but very active. I played raquetball three times weekly and took my kids swimming at least that many times a week. I actually worked at a health and fitness club! When I hit forty, my family moved to the foothills and my job and my active lifestyle came to an end. All these years I had been trying every diet that came out. I mean I tried them all! I had moderate success with them all but nothing ever lasted. Finally, I found myself inching periously toward 300 pounds. I had sleep apnea, borderline high blood pressure, breathing issues and the beginning of arthritis in my knees and shoulder. My feet hurt all the time. Because of my busy lifestyle and my refusal to become a couch potato, I never did hit 300, but my health was suffering and I knew that it was only a matter of time before I would have to slow down simply because of the physical limitations I was putting on myself.
Meanwhile, husband's sister in Texas began the pursuit of Weight Loss Surgery. I thought she was crazy. It seemed like a very drastic solution to something that we should be able to control ourselves. She had her surgery and lost 120 pounds. She was on the bandwagon then to get me to do it. No way! I wasn't that desparate! Then, my 32 year old son decided to do it. I thought it was fine for him. He was young and had no health problems. He had his surgery and lost 130 pounds! He looked and felt great. Still, I didn't believe this surgery was for me. I was afraid, if the truth was known. I felt that my health was not good and I might not survive the surgery.
My lifelong friend, Becky, suddenly revealed to me that she had been researching WLS and she had decided to do it. I was shocked! She is the most level-headed and practical person that I know. I really started thinking about checking it out. After all, if Becky was going to be slim and healthy, I wanted to be slim and healthy too! I also did something at this time that changed everything for me. I began to pray and I asked God to let me know if this was the right decision for me. I decided to pursue this surgery and if things didn't go smoothly I would know that this was not what God had planned for me. I went to an information seminar the first week in March of 2005. I had my initial consultation three days later and my psych evalution the next day after that. My request was sent to Blue Cross and three weeks later I was approved with the provision that I have a cardiac clearance. I had the clearance on Monday evening and Thursday morning I went to surgery.
I prayed that morning knowing that this had all worked out so easily and so quickly that surely this was God's plan for me. But, still, I was prepared to leave this world if it should turn out that way. At least I would know that I had tried to make the rest of my life better. Two hours later I woke up in the recovery room, so thrilled to still be here!
My life has changed in a lot of subtle ways. I excersize three days a week and I walk two miles almost every day. I have tons (way too many) of beautiful and fun clothes. I can cross my legs when I sit and I do it all the time! I took my grandkids to an amusement park this summer and I rode everything! I fit! I shop at all the stores I never could have before. I ride on the back of my husband's motorcycle with ease now. In fact, we are going on a 16 day cross country trip this summer. My oldest granddaughter always wants to borrow my clothes. I can shave my legs standing up in the shower. I can wear cute shoes with no pain. I can shop all day! I have bones everywhere that I didn't know I had. Yesterday I had to have some blood work done and the nurse commented on what great veins I had. They used to be hidden under such a layer of fat that a blood draw was a horrible ordeal.
Anyway, even though I could still stand to lose another 12-15 pounds in order to be a perfect weight, I would happy if I never lost another pounds. It has been many years since I could say I was ten or fifteen pounds overweight. That I can handle. When I think about losing 150 pounds like I used to have to think about, I am so grateful that I made this choice. It was the right one for me and I don't regret it for a minute.