rissa1224

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Well this time last year, to the day, I changed my life by having my VSG. I have lost a total of 113lbs in 12 months. I went from a size 3x shirts and 26W pants, to now a L or XL shirt and a 12/14 pants. I can not believe it! Sometimes I ask myself 'is this shit truly real?'. It's like all of those times you would tell yourself "this year I am going to lose weight and get healthy and diet" but in reality you know that it never really worked for you. So you had nothing to look forward to. Now that I had VSG, it truly happened to me. My dream did come true. I am healthier, and I have a quality of life now.

My journey has had its ups and downs which is totally okay. I had developed gallstones and had my gallbladder removed March 30th, almost 4 months post op, then I developed appendicitis (which is not tied to VSG in any way) August 26th, almost 9 months post op. Right now I have some random discomfort from possible gas pains, and I do have some flabby skin that I don't necessarily like, but hey, I am still 113lbs smaller and will NEVER go back to the highest weight ever again!

In the past year I have developed self confidence, which I never had. I see myself having a quality of life now, where before I never did. I want to do so many things I never would admitsuch as skydiving which will be August 2014. I go on roller coasters again sine I know I can fit with NO issues at all. I flew twice and didn't need a seat belt extender, and fit comfortably for once. I don't have to shop at Lane Bryant anymore, I can go to the regular sections, even the juniors sections for clothes. My shoe size went from a 10/11 to a 9/9.5. My ring size went from a 9 to a loose 7.

I have never been this happy in my entire life. This was the best decision I have ever made and if I had to do it all over again, I would!

Peace, love, and healthy living

Well hello there you lovely people! I just wanted to give a quick update!

I had to get my gallbladder removed 3 weeks ago- 3/20. NOT A FUN RECOVERY! For some reason this recovery was worse than my VSG pain wise- but shorter time frame wise. Luckily I returned to work the Tuesday after surgery.

I am down, as of last week (small stall UGH) 72lbs since surgery, and 91 since my 'fattest'. SO Weird! Seriously. The sad thing is, I don't "see" it. When I look down I still see a cow (lol yes, I will be blunt). However, people do notice a difference, and even their reactions do make me smile on the inside. It tells me that this IS working for real, even if I don't SEE it.

I had to get rid of most of my clothing about 2 months post, and now I have to get rid of more. Thank goodness I can donate! I had to buy a new pair of jeans, down to a size 18 IN NORMAL sizes, not in Womens, WTH?! AMAZING! It felt great to be in Target in the 'normal' people section and not the small fat section. I tried on an 18 Womens and i was swimming in it, I tried on an 18 short of regular and it FIT, almost like a pair of skinny jeans, but I feel still too big to wear official skinny jeans. But I will get there!

Overall I still have zero regrets, and I am happy and getting happier! I am actually enjoying my life now. I am excited for nice weather and looking forward to adventures. I even went on a power walk for 35 minutes ( I wanted to do an hour, but my dog was too tired!) and I literally hardly broke out in a sweat! Normally I could walk outside, even in cold weather, and walk 10 feet and be dying. I was shocked and thrilled at the same time.

Food wise I can tolerate just about anything!! It is great! I still, of course, make the right choices, but I really don't deprive myself. I feel thats punishing myself sort of. If I want a ravioli, I will have one. Do I always? Absolutely not. Once in a blue moon I will enjoy myself and do it as a treat. I can not wait for this summer to come up and do more things and things I haven't done in 10+ years. I am going to Vegas in June and can not WAIT. So many life changing experiences due to this huge life change and it is fabulous.

VSG patient out!

Well hello all of you lovely people out there!

Just going to give a 'quick' update on my progress! I am 3 months post op and feeling FAB! I am down 56 lbs since surgery on 12/5 and since last year at my highest I am down 75lbs!!!! In all honesty- I do not see it, unless I put old pictures of myself next to my new pictures. THEN I see a difference.

NSV's:

** My biggest so far: I went to Disney World last week with my best friend, god daughter, and best friends boyfriend (God Daughters father). I FIT on the plane WITH NO seatbelt extension. HOLY MOLEY! I also fit in ALL of the rides!!! Even the roller coasters at Universall, where you need to 'test them out' in the front of the entrance, to make sure you aren't to fat to fit. I FIT I FIT!!!! It was fabulous. It really was!

 ** I have a friend who had the RNY over 10 years ago. She is and was such a big support in my decision for the VSG- and I guess I inspired her because she just got approved for a switch from RNY to VSG!! It's a nice feeling to see that even though I am early out, I can be an example for others. I greatly appreciated, and still do, the others who inspired me to do this. I am SO happy for her and can not wait for her continued success, and even better success with this VSG. YAY for being healthy!! 2.

** Clothing of course, I went from 2-3x to an XL in the majority of things. Or a 24/26 to an 18/20 which is even a tad loose! Pants 26 to about an 18 (every style is different, but still!)

Foods: I can tolerate 99% of foods I put in my mouth! Mind you- they're the 'healthy' ones that go along with the 'rules' of what to eat. But, It is exciting! I LOVE salad and I can finally enjoy it again. I pile that protein on it though!! Lettuce is for the extra crunch. Yummo!

So far, I have 0 regrets with this huge life changing surgery I did. It is awesome. Don't get me wrong- there are times I go "I wish I can stop at McDonalds and get chicken nuggets, fries, and a Shamrock Shake. Will I? Nope! Sometimes if I smell certain foods- it makes me gag. Literally. I have to walk away! It isn't easy either. So if you are thinking about getting a WLS, don't fret what other people may think, "that's the EASY way out". No, screw you, it is NOT easy. Is it worth it? TOTALLY =)

Peace, love, and healthy living =)

The morning of 12/5/12 I wake up at 5am. I shockingly slept great. I didn't feel nervous at all- in fact my mom was more nervous than me. Thank GOODNESS I have so much support with family and friends. Get to the hospital at about 6am to sign in and wait. They call me back to get prepped for surgery, and my parents wait. I get all undressed in the sexy gown, all naked underneath (gag LOL), booties on, hair up in a hair net, they start the IV and have me fill out and sign more paperwork. They let my parents come back to wait for me and still- I am not nervous. I just sit there and chat with them.

Then- the nurse comes and takes my glasses away. I get butterflies. I hate not being able to see too. My eyesight is BAD. Anyway, they start to wheel me out into the hall way and I start to say goodbye to my parents and here come the tears. At that point I didn't know if I was more excited, or scared SHITLESS. I hear (again- I cant see) my surgeon and he sees me crying and he walks with me and holds my hand. He says that I am in good hands and that there is no crying in his OR LOL. At that point I was just by a curtain waiting for him to scrub in. So I just sit and wait and try not to think about anything- but I am still crying. I get wheeled into the OR, where its cold of course. I hear all of the staff say hello to me and they hope those are happy tears coming from my eyes. The surgeon comes in and I get on the table, and the next thing I know- I wake up.

I don't remember much of anything the first few hours after surgery- thank you anesthesia and morphine! I do remember those gas pains though! My parents were there of course waiting for me- again thank god. Mom stayed the whole time with me that day until visiting hours were over. I puked quite a few times- blood gross. I was freaking out in my head but was in too much pain to say anything. They said it was normal. Yes, the puked blood smelt like death. Mom ran out once almost throwing up herself LOL. I sat in the chair and dad burped me like when I was a baby LOL. It did feel nice when the air was coming out. The night was long (but fast) and just lots of getting up to pee and walk. The nurses loved me and I LOVED them. They were so sweet and helpful and didn't get annoyed when I buzzed them to unhook me from the heart machine and my leg things. They walked with me up and down the halls and we chatted. As the night went on I wasn't pushing my morphine button all that much - they told me I was crazy not to! I don't like pain meds so I just didn't want to, but I started to and felt way better DUH ME. They did blood work in the morning and the surgeon came to see how I was going (luckily I didn't have to do an upper GI) and mom came after work and I was home before 5pm on 12/6/12. Woo!!

5 days post op I was feeling FABULOUS. Hardly any gas pains left! I was going to take my 2nd shower since I had been home, and I was home alone. It was a Monday and everyone was at work. I had walked up a flight of stairs and still felt pretty winded but just went about my business. 2 minutes into the shower I saw stars, couldn't breath, stuck my head outside the curtain and opened the window. Nope, I couldn't continue. Hurried, slowly, to wash the soap out of my hair, laid on my bed and cried. I called my dr and he told me to get to the ER asap. My moms boss sucks so I told her not to worry I will get a ride to the ER. A friend had been living back home because she broke her ankle and thankfully she was able to drive me to the ER. She is a saint. They did CT scan, chest x-ray, blood work, blah blah. Turns out it was my body's anxiety that caught up to me all at once! WTF?! I felt like an ASSHOLE. My surgeon came to me and told me that I was a silly  girl and I just had MAJOR surgery. Heat and steam can also make you lose your breath. WHAT? But yes, it was anxiety that hit me and I had NO idea. Cool. They had me on IV of course and said that I was just slightly dehydrated so they put me on 2 full bags of IV. COOL. Let's just pee a little more. 6 hours later mom took me home. 

KNOCK ON WOOD getting food down is great. I am so happy. I can eat ALMOST anything- good choices of course! If it hurts or is too uncomfortable, I stop. It's a game! 

So being 5 weeks post op as of 1/9/12, I am down 32lbs (gain a few lose a few gain a few- yes, this is a game also). I am down 51lbs since Feb 2012. WOW. I don't physically SEE my difference (except in my neck? LOL). I had to get rid of so many old clothing though, and thank goodness I have so much old clothing I can wear again. Yeah, haven't worn these since at least 2008. HOLY CRAP. Every day is a battle with vitamins, water, protein, and sometimes food itself. And so far I am okay with it. I am so happy and grateful for the support of my family and friends. 

I have my 5 1/2 week post op appointment on 1/14/12. I hope I am where I am supposed to be.

I have an amazing trip with my best friend, god child, and her father, that Make A Wish is sending us to- DISNEY. We leave 2/25/13. I am so excited to (hopefully) be able to 'fit' into those rides and seats, especially the dreaded plane! Compared to our trip in 2010 I think I will be good =) Then in June I have a family vacation to VEGAS. Oh boy! 

So I have been asked a few times for an update about my surgery and success, and story, so here it goes! Beware, it is LONG.

PRE OP:

It was just a random night at home on my couch while my mom was cooking dinner. I told her I finally had my appointment with my regular physician after x amount of years (yes, it has been that long since I had a 'check up' that I DON'T remember when my last one was- at least in HS- and I graduated in 2006!) My old physician, who was a marathon runner and had pictures ALL over the office, was never helpful, she basically told me I was just too obese, therefore I stopped going to her all together. I only went to a doctor if I was sick. ANYWAY, I told my mom I had my physical in the next few days, and she the minute the words "now please do not be offended when I say this" came out of her mouth, my heart was in my throat. I didn't know what was coming. Then she suggested I ask him about the lap band. Then, inside I died. I just said something like "okay, I will research it", sat for a little bit then went upstairs to cry. I cried and cried and I called my best friend, because that's what we are there for. 

My best friend for many years had the RNY 4 years ago. I NEVER thought about having it for myself. I was actually that "bitch" who thought she was doing it the easy way out. Boy, I was wrong! So my friend told me to just calm down and explained to me that mom said that to me because my ENTIRE life I have been the "fatty", (well she put in nice words that I have struggled my entire life). She said that mom is concerned and sees me struggle on a daily basis, especially since in Feb 2012 I REALLY started Weigh Watchers again. I was doing awesome, I was down 25 lbs. Until I lost my temp job. Then gained 10 back in like 2 weeks! FML, right?! So she told me that she also thinks its a fabulous idea and she is with me the entire way. I LOVE HER. 

So a few days later her and I were off to a meeting about all 3 surgeries at a surgery center. It was actually with her surgeon- she is wayyyy off track so I kind of got her into getting healthy again, yay! Anyway, that surgeon didn't take my insurance so I didn't even try to make an appointment with them - in fear of having HUGE BILLS. 

My mom found out from a friend a surgeon that her friend's hubby went to- Dr. Garrison, right in a hospital 5 minutes away from me. AWESOME. I made my first consult appointment with him (Forgot to mention, this all started happening In September from when Mom made the suggestion). At that point I had done so much research and was extremely motivated and had support ALL around me- with the select few people I had told at that point. I met with the surgeon and he was just awesome. I still had my decision for the band at that point also.

He had me do specific things- make appointments with the Nutritionist, Gastro for an endoscopy, and have a psych eval. One other thing I had to do was attend one of his seminars with post op patients talking to us, and he put on a presentation. That is when I made the decision to do the VSG (verticle sleve gastrectomy). Why the VSG?? The first thought I had back in Oct. at my first seminar ever, was HOLY SHIT I am NOT getting my stomach legit cut out of my body forever! Ha, I changed my mind after doing much research on the band and RNY. 

A month later ALL of his "must do's" were completed. Go me! So by November 13th, I met with the surgeon to go over everything before submitting my paperwork. That is also when I told him I picked the VSG, and he said it was and will be the best decision for me. Now it was his job to send in the info to my insurance AND PRAY they approve my surgery. He of course was extremely confident that I was going to be approved. I had to get my blood work completed also, which was easy peasy lemon squeezy. That Friday 11/15 my paperwork from everything- the NUT, gastro, psych eval, and the surgeon, were all submitted. The waiting game (and my annoying the insurance company by calling them myself) began. 

2 weeks later, YES that fast, my surgery was APPROVED! Even the office staff was shocked. My date was set for 12/5/12. HOLY.CRAP.