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My story.......Where to begin....I grew up in a typical NY Italian family that moved out to NJ. We all sat down for Sunday dinners no matter what and Saturday lunches were a big deal as well. We had to finish everything on our plate and we were not allowed to drink our milk until we were done with dinner..... no talking or laughing at the table....meals were very serious to my father.......many of those rules have stayed with me.
I am a good eater (obviously) but I mean I love all food. I am just as happy eating artichokes, spinach and salad as I am anything else. I am not a sweet eater... I am a food eater... I love my pasta and lunch meat.
I have been skinny (not just thin) skinny most of my life, I have always been athletic and worked out my entire life in one capacity or another and then WHAM.... 39 years old and my body completely changed on me. I attribute this to several things. 3 injuries that kept me from working out for long periods of time. Knee, head and back in that order and a few years apart (they all still give me trouble) a break up from a bad relationship, a brand new wonderful relationship, changing jobs and home and peri menopause....70lbs later I feel like I'm in a horrible cirle of life...... The weight has stressed my joints and muscles and working out has become very painful and recovery time from strains and sprains takes forever.... I see no results from the gym or dieting anymore.... I'm now on all kinds of medication for heart disease, I'm not going out as much and I find myself hiding from social events. My frustration level peaked about a year ago and I knew several people who have had WLS and decided to do a little research myself and of course speak to my cardiologist about it. Let me just add that I have tried everything.... The NUTS, prescribed diet pills (which I shouldn't have been given), gym, diet, weight watchers, on-line diets, trainers, water pills and so on..... It's not like I got heavy and said gee I don't feel like being heavy anymore so I'll go for surgery.... I tried and tried and cried and cried... Once I stopped going out socially I knew it was time to do something else.
Once I decided to go for the surgery, I found a wonderful doctor that was recommended to me by several people who had WLS and according to them they have a wonder follow up program and after care. I know at this point that their staff is fantastic, caring and supportive. My surgery is scheduled for Sept 13 and I'm scared, curious, excited, anxious and trying to sponge as much information from this site as possible. I have learned so much as to what to expect or what could happen. I know everyone is different but hopefully I won't be surprised.
My boyfriend is very supportive but doesn't want me to get surgery for all the normal reasons.... he is afraid that something could happen and I have the same fears. He knows that I"m not happy in my own skin right now and he doesn't get to see me smile as much as I used to. He says he loves all of me as I am now but health is a huge part of this choice not just appearance.
I use the phrase I want my life back a lot..... I want to NOT take as many prescriptions or get rid of all of them if possible.... I want to be heart healthy and hopefully I won't have to go through what my 52 year old sister did (emergency by-pass).... I want to live a long life.... not like my mother who died at 45..... I want to work out at the gym and see results and not be sore from the extra weight stressing my joints and muscles.... I want work on eating properly and proper portions and see the scale move when it should.... I want to look in the mirror and smile.... I want to be invited to a party and have tons of choices on what outfit to wear instead of "oh God will this fit and does my fat bulge out"
Since I'm being honest with myself on here..... Sex..... seriously who wants to take their clothes off.... I know I don't.... my sex life was wonderful.... not anymore....I'm very lucky to have a wonderful supportive boyfriend.... Did I mention, he is hot, in great shape, works out all the time and is so encouraging and patient with me.... he can't wait until I'm back at the gym and we are working out together again..... He is "one of those" he can eat an elephant and not gain a pound but he will also eat everything I eat no matter what. He doesn't care. If he wants to snack he won't do it in front of me and he doesn't complain about it...... I am very lucky.... (but I deserve it) :)
One month until surgery tomorrow. I still have to go for heart check up and pre-admin testing but I'm sure that will be fine. I'm looking at things right now as one day at a time......
