FTTG2010
I have been chubby/overweight/fat since I was 4 years old. As I have gotten older it has gotten worse. When I graduated high school in 1994 I was wearing a size 28 pants. I was told at the age of 18 that I would need a complete knee replacement but I was too young. The doctor said "if you could get the weight off, that would help your knees." Easy for him to say.
I grew up in the country in Northern Ohio. In the spring/summer/fall months you could always find me outside. Riding my bike, swimming in the pool, playing touch football, walking in the woods. I was active but still fat.
I am now 34 years old. I live in Nashville TN, work 2 jobs, and not as active as I used to be. My main job is a desk job. Sitting most of the day. i come home mentally exhausted from work and just crash on the couch. Not a good thing.
I had begun this journey back in 2006. I had noticed around Christmas of 2006 that a pair of size 32 jeans were really tight in the waist. I thought I was gaining weight. Several folks in our office started a Weight Watchers at work program and I joined trying to lose the weight. I lost 11 pounds and plateaued. In May 2007 I went to my PCP to talk about it. He had told me then that he didn't really believe in the surgeries and had only recommended it for 5 of his patients at that time. After several tests to figure out why I wasn't losing weight, it was discovered that I had a 10 pound ovarian tumor. June 2007 i had the tumor removed.
Fast forward to summer of 2009. A coworker of mine, her husband had the gastric bypass surgery with Dr. Spaw. In less than a year he lost 180 pounds! In seeing his success, I decided it was time. August of 2009 I decided to make an appointment with my PCP and demand that he give me the referral that I needed to see Dr. Spaw. I went in expecting a fight and was surprised to hear a very easy, OK. So I started my journey.
I had done all the requirements and was hoping to have the surgery done by end of 2009, but at the last minute and unexpected wrench was thrown into the plans. January 1 my insurance changed, requiring 6 months visits with my PCP. When I had to postpone everything, I became very blue. I put it in my head that well, since I couldn't have the surgery until summer i was going to eat whatever I wanted. That resulted in my getting to my heaviest weight....432 pounds.
My surgery is now scheduled for 8/23/10. I have changed from having gastric bypass to having duodenal switch because in talking with Dr Spaw I found out that the GP wouldn't get me to where I want to be....200 pounds. Although the 200 pounds would still put me in the overweight category on the BMI scale, I should then be able to do the things i want to do: ride all the roller coasters at my favorite theme park, shop in a "normal" store, fly without having to ask for a seat belt extender, etc.
So here is the start of my journey....
8/11/10
