My Journey

Oct 22, 2011

In April of 2011 I went to my doc for a regular appointment. I had already been contemplating setting up a longer appointment with him to talk about my weight and what to do because I had finally had enough. I was exhausted; I could not walk 10 steps without feeling like my chest was going to explode. I knew I could not keep living like this. Every time I exerted myself even a little it took five solid minutes to catch my breath. I had gas all the stinken time (pun intended). Something had to give.

My doc, the best doc in the world (IMHO), Dr. Justin Sparkes in Edmond, OK, sat down and I could tell he was apprehensive about what he was going to discuss. I'm usually very receptive but several physicians had mentioned WLS in the past and I was not receptive at those times. I just felt like getting surgery meant that I was giving up, admitting failure, surely if I applied myself I could do this on my own. However, my husband and I had been talking in a good way, so I was ready to seriously consider this subject.

I did mention to Dr. Sparkes that I still felt like I should to do it on my own like I hadn't tried hard enough. He said in a good way, "If you could do this on your own you would have by now". He had seen my weight yo-yo over the past couple years as I kept trying things I thought were reasonable. It's not that they weren't but little things like, doing the Jillian Michaels online program and when her new book came out they redid the site and food menus without warning. It threw me way off and with the expense of buying the specific foods on the list each week I said ok I'm not paying for the rug to be pulled out from under me.

I gained back the 25 I had lost and so I tried to count calories. I lost another 25 but that method is very tedious and my lifestyle makes it hard not to turn to convenience foods. Each time I gained back plus some as is the typical experience. Before these attempts I had done Weigh Down Workshop years before and yes it works but I let a few deaths in the family put me on hold and I never got back on track.

Before that attempt, I didn't attempt anything and hadn't since I was a teen because I had learned early on that diets really weren't good for you and fads didn't work. I knew early on that a lifestyle change was needed but when you are a stress eater that is easier said than done. Weigh Down Workshop was very beneficial. After that experience I never had acid reflux again and my feminine cycles returned to relative normalcy.

So back in April when Dr. Sparkes mentioned WLS again I was receptive and he recommended Weight Wise which was right next door. It took me a few weeks of looking over their website and signing up twice for the seminar before I actually went. I attended that seminar on May 16^th. Then it took me a few more weeks to make my first appointment. Why these gaps before I got started? I really had to wrap my head around what I was giving up and could I do this long term. Was I really ready to get on board? Surgery is a serious decision and if I committed, this was it, no turning back.

I had my first appointment at Weight Wise on June 2^nd. The doctors, dieticians and staff at Weight Wise are top notch. I follow the food program, almost, perfectly and I have lost 72lbs since that first appointment. I am hoping to have surgery in early 2012 and kick this weight loss journey into high gear.

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