mjloyd
January 21, 2007
Hi! I'm a 45 y/o mom and wife. I have 3 children. Devon is 15 and my biggest cheerleader. When I told her I was having surgery she said, " I'm so glad for you. You won't have to take 3 tries to get up off of the couch anymore. You won't be so tired when you come home from work!" You never know what they notice. Steven is my 11y/o "little man". He's is so happy for me but also a little worried. He is such a logical thinker! He's ask a million questions about the surgery and knowing him he's probably done some research of his own on the computer! Justin is 25 and doesn't live at home. He is happy for me but as with any 25 y/o he has his own life to live but he is not only my son but one of my best friends. That leaves my husband, Mark. He's my rock and greatest support. I love him so much!
I'm an RN and work in the cardiac catheterization lab. I'm looking so forward to being able to be the nurse I used to be. Of course I'm 10 yrs older than I was when I was at my best but I am a high energy person. I'm definitely not that at this weight.
WOW this is a toughy for me to open up my life to the world. But I can only hope that the things I've been through can bless someone else as so many of the stories and blogs I've read from other members has blessed me. First let me say that I fully wholeheartedly feel that going through this experience is a "God Thing". God has walked with me from the time I went to my first seminar and will be with me through this entire journey. This is a new adventure for me. I started back in June. One of my best friends in the world had gastric bypass. I have known people who have had WLS before but my friend really made me stop and think. If she could do it, I could too. I had hit 300lbs and knew that something had to change. My cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar was rising. Every diet I have tried had failed on me, well I've failed at it. I have been on some meds that haven't helped the situation either! I've gained over 100lbs in the last 7 years. Fifty of that in the last two years. No excuses other than I've had a lot of stress in my life the past 4 yrs with the loss of both of my parents. I'm an only child so all of the particulars that go with being an only child came to be and needless to say I wasn't emotionally nor physically ready. So how did I handle my stress and reality???? FOOD!! The only way I've ever known how to deal with it all.
So anyway, I talked my hubby into going to a WLS seminar at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville. He was skeptical until he heard Dr. Hugh Houston. We talked and we prayed about it. I checked into my insurance and found that I had to go through a six month medically supervised diet before Cigna would even approve me. OK, well......... I spoke with Centennial about this and they had a program that fit the bill and insurance would accept. WOW! God does provide. It all seemed to be falling into place. I spoke with my primary care doctor and she was not in favor or the surgery! She wanted me to find a diet program but she did not want to write the letter in favor of the surgery. I even asked Dr. Houston if he would talk with her. Bless his heart he talked to her but she would not budge and wouldn't hear any part of the surgery. Well I looked for another primary care MD and found exactly what I needed. I talked with a girl on OH from Gallatin and she told me who she had seen and was very pleased with who she was seeing. The doctor and and the ARNP I went to see at Sumner Medical Group were very in favor of the Gastric Bypass. Whew! Beat that hurdle! God is in control!
I started the program and really realized what having the surgery would mean for me. Not only would I lose weight but I would learn how to eat better. The diet program was a low carb, low fat program. Every month I had to go to the nutritionist, support group, Dr. Evelyn Frye's Coaching for Victory group, the exercise physiologist and my primary care MD. Oh boy! What a job this was going to be! I spoke with my boss about the need to have at least one day off a month to make all of these visits. She was very supportive. Now that my hubby, boss and MD were supportive it was time to get to work!
Beginning in July, 2006, I began my journey. It all worked so well, like a well oiled machine. I made my requests for days off each month and tried my best to work the program. The support group was a little to be desired but I went for a couple of months. I found a support group on the web that was out of the Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity. That fit the requirements of my insurance so I went with it. I visited Dr. Frye's group a few times and learned something about myself everytime. I found out a lot about my relationships with my mom who was a food addict as well. I understood more about my relationship with food. It was not a pretty picture. With the exercise physiologistand the nutritionist, I learned a lot about making small changes in my eating and exerise. I really didn't do very well with the weight loss. I gained and lost the same 6 pounds about 3 times. I ended up weighing more at the end of the six months than I did at the beginning. But it was my fault. I will admit it had nothing to do with the program. IT's a wonderful program but I was finishing it only to meet the requirments of my insurance. But through it all everyone was wonderful. On January 16, 2007, the center submitted all of my paperwork. On January 17, I was approved! It was amazing how fast it all had happened.
My surgery is scheduled for March 19, 2007. I'm excited but very very nervous. God has given me a peace that I can't explain. So many things through all of this have been strictly because of God's plan for me and my family. I want to live to see my kids and my grandkids! I want to live to grow old with my husband Mark. He is and has been my rock! I love him so much. He says he'd love me no matter what I did but he'd support me no matter what I did. So here goes!
