Sandi P.
Hello to everyone and welcome to my journey! I am someone who has tried everything short of starvation to lose weight, and of course, I know I am not alone. I have spent countless amounts of money trying different programs, plans, shakes, and even pills, and I am looking for a permanent weight loss solution. I have been successful losing weight, and I know exactly what I SHOULD be eating, but the weight comes back (and brings friends) any time I stray from very strict eating habits. I am a 32 year-old single professional beginning to have some problems as a result of carrying 247 pounds around. I am praying that this surgery will be approved and be the answer I have been looking for.
April 6, 2004
Initial Consult with Dr. Dewitt, my surgeon. I am so impressed with Dr. DeWitt, and he said I should be a good candidate for the surgery. He didn't see any problems or reasons I shouldn't be approved.
April 8, 2004
Today, I completed the psych evaluation with Dr. Howell and also completed the EKG. Now, I am waiting the next step! Hoping for a June or mid-July surgery date since I am out of school.
April 27, 2004
I'M APPROVED!!!! I am just beside myself, and words can't describe how happy I am!! I called Blue Cross today, and she said, "well, I have good news for you!" Oh my gosh...I jumped up and down in sheer joy! No date as of yet since the appointment scheduler was busy for two days. I am hoping for mid-June since I will be out of school and I won't have to worry about about work until August...woohoooo! Thank God, who has Blessed me tremendously in the last 2 weeks!
** Best of Luck to everyone else waiting on their approval...and DON'T GIVE UP!! **
April 30, 2004
I HAVE A DATE!!! Wooooohoooo....June 21st, here I come!!
May 25,2004
I have a NEW DATE!! Judy from Dr. DeWitt's office called and said I needed to reschedule since the doc will be out the week of the 21st. So we moved it up to the 15!! :) Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!! :)
I have been walking a lot more lately, in addition to the yardwork I have been doing. I am also drinking more water and trying to slowly give up the diet sodas that I love so much!! Goooooooodbye carbonation.... But I can live with that! It will be hard, but the flavored water stuff isn't so bad.
Again, best of luck to all of you who are considering this journey!!
June 2, 2004
Every day, a little bit closer!! Today I went to the Pre-Admission and Nutrition Class to review all of the requirements and diet after surgery. Then I went to hospital admissions for all of the preliminary stuff...no big deal. It is kind of confusing though with the way everything was handled by the hospital. The class was fine....the nutritionist was fine, but admitting is tricky, but it wasn't so bad. Hurry up and wait, but I was prepared for that. Then I went over to Dr. DeWitt's office for the last consult with him. I am now on my way!! :)
Surgery is in just under two weeks!! Yippppeeeee!
June 14, 2004
Wow how time flies!! I have done really well with the pre-surgery diet. I am not sick like I thought I would be since I am now on liquids only. My surgery is TOMORROW!! I am so excited and ready for the next step in my journey. This has been amazing so far!!
June 16, 2004
I am home!! My surgery went so well, and I feel ok. The surgeon said I could go home if I promised to keep moving. I am so thrilled....I have no drains, no stitches, and very little pain. I am sore, but that is to be expected. I talked to a man in the hospital who had his surgery on the 14th, and he said each day just gets better and better, so I look forward to that. I am so Blessed!! I was never nervous, well, except for when I realized I was in the OR and they were prepping me for surgery. After that, I don't remember much!! LOL I don't remember recovery either, but they say I woke up and responded to their questions. I do remember getting to my room and not being able to hold my eyes open. I walked at about eight o'clock that night, after having my surgery around 2. This morning, I was up walking at 5:30....that is very rare for me!! LOL
I am taking my pain medicines every now and then, and still have some gas pains every now and then....but otherwise, I am GREAT!! I am so thankful for the support and encouragement I have gotten from ObesityHelp and the Bama Boards, as well as my coworkers, friends, and family. It has been a great journey so far...
June 22, 2004
One week anniversary!! One week ago I had my surgery done...wow how time is flying! Well, I am officially off of my pain medicines, I only took 1/4 dose yesterday for a headache. I am doing SO WELL now that I am home. I have only been sick once, and that was my own fault...boy did I learn a lesson!! DO NOT OVEREAT!! I was late eating lunch, so I think I overcompensated. Plus, it was soup, which can be deceiving and difficult to feel the fullness. Well, I was sick all afternoon and evening. No more of that!! The gas pains have gotten much better. I walked a 30 minute mile on the treadmill this morning, and I feel absolutely wonderful!! Satisfied with what I am eating, but am starting to want more regular stuff, but I am still on the soft foods...no big deal yet. Head hunger is not too bad at this point. I had intended to stay off of the scales until my 2-week appointment, but I figured "what the heck." Here is how it breaks down:
Initial Consult: 247.6 (doctor's scales)
2nd Visit: 246.6 (doctor's scales)
Morning of surgery: 240 (home scales)
One Week Post-Op: 230 (home scales)
So, I have lost TEN POUNDS!!!! This is so exciting, and I can't wait to weigh in at the doctor's office next Tuesday!! Wow...I wish the best of luck to everyone else on this incredible journey!!
June 29, 2004
Went for my two-week checkup and everything looked good. I weighed in at 225.5, so that means I have lost a totaly of 22 pounds!! The doctor said he wants me to walk 5 days a week instead of my every other day walks I have been doing.
July 6, 2004
Wow, another week gone and 4 more pounds gone!! That brings me to a total of 26.5 pounds gone for good! I feel great, and I am now starting to eat more of a variety of foods. I can't wait to eat SHRIMP today!! :) I have had a really easy time with this, and I have only been sick twice. Sometimes I forget I had this done, but then I eat too big of a bite, and I am reminded very quickly!! LOL I am NOT HUNGRY, which blows my mind. I am starting to feel some of the head hunger though. Starting to want more foods than just the soft foods I have been eating. All in time though...I am just enjoying this feeling!! I feel a freedom from food that is hard for me to comprehend. I have always let food control me, but now I don't feel that way anymore. I hope I can continue this. Losing feels absolutely wonderful!! Good luck to everyone on this journey!!
July 20, 2004
Oops, forgot to post last week's update. I was out of town and away from my scales, so I just thought I would wait until today to see how much I have lost. I am now 5 weeks post op, and I weight 212, which means I have lost 35.5 pounds!! Wow, I am now starting to tell with some of my clothes. I look down and still see my big belly, but when I put on my clothes and they are loose, I KNOW I have lost inches!! :) This is fantastic!! The only thing that is bothering me right now is the frothing, at least, I think that is what it is called. I KNOW I have to eat SLOWLY, and I KNOW I have to eat SMALL BITES, but sometimes I just don't do either. I feel it immediately. It happened just the other day when I was out with a lot of friends. I had to excuse myself to go to the restroom and take my entire meal home with me because I only ate 2 or 3 bites. I was a little embarrassed because I didn't want to cause a scene or hurl right there at the table!! OH WELL, lesson learned for the 543rd time!! LOL Man, are habits hard to break or what? I am still happy though...frothing and all!! :)
October 17, 2004
Oh my goodness, I can't believe I haven't updated in sooo long!! Oh well, here goes... It has been four months since my surgery, and I am down 62.5 pounds!! I am sooo happy about that, and can really tell a difference. I am also in "ONEderland," which was a great accomplishment for me. I haven't had any problems with frothing lately, I guess I learned my lesson there. My weightloss has slowed down quite a bit, but I am still very happy. I know I need to exercise more, and that would help. I just haven't gotten into a routine yet. My clothes are too big, but I am also wearing clothes that have been hanging in my closet for a long time. LOL Oh how wonderful I feel in so many ways, I am so fortunate to have had this surgery!! I am grateful to God, Dr. DeWitt, and my family for their support. It has been incredible so far!!
November 9, 2004
Another five pounds down for me, for a total of 67.5!!! I am sooooooo happy!! I had a shopping victory over the weekend. I went to Goody's, and their clearance was an additional half off. I found a great outfit and tried it on. The pants were TOO BIG, but the jacket fit. Get this, the pants were a PETITE X-LARGE, and the jacket was a PETITE LARGE!!!!!!!! So, the jacket came home with me, it looks cute on me, and it only cost $5.00!!!! I can't believe I actually own something (much less wear) that is a size large....NOT a double X, NOT a women's size....but a LARGE!!!!! Wow, I am still so thrilled with my progress. Receiving lots of comments from friends and coworkers. This is the best thing I have done for myself in a LONG time!! :)
April 30, 2005
What do you mean I haven't updated since November!! I guess I have been really busy....LOL THAT is an understatement!!!
Here is the update: I have lost a total of 96.5 pounds!! I am SO VERY happy with my results!! I currently weight 151, and if I don't lose another pound, I am ok with that. I still think it would be cool to lose another few pounds to say I have lost 100. I am already being told by family that I don't need to lose anymore. No big deal, but I am also working on toning (wish I had been doing that all along). I would love to have a tummy tuck, so I am going to be checking into that soon. Not sure if I would have anything else done, but a boob lift would be wonderful. LOL
I can wear mediums and some larges, size 12 (down from a 22), and I also went down in shoe size. I LOVE being able to wear regular off the rack clothes!! I always resented paying $5-$10 more for something just because it was a woman's size. I am no longer limited to just one section of the store, I have way more options!! :)
OH, my other news....I"M ENGAGED!! I am so very happy and Blessed to have found someone who loves me the way Chuck loves me. He is absolutely wonderful, and we make a great couple (or so I am told)!! We have set a date for August 6 in Gulf Shores. I absolutely cannot wait!! He proposed earlier this month, on our 6 month anniversary. He totally surprised me by gathering my family together and singing "Blue Eyed Girl" to the tune of "Brown Eyed Girl." After singing the song, he sang his proposal and gave me a ring in a Charming Tails (collectible figurine). It was so romantic and sweet, especially to have all of my family and some of my friends there. I am so happy.....
Here is my wow moment that happened recently. My Mom and sister and I went dress shopping. At every store, they always say "go up a size" because the dresses run small (evil trick on the dress makers' part) LOL Well, I still have a hard time comprehending that I no longer wear a size 22, and had no idea what to tell the consultants. I finally said, well, I can wear 12's now, so I guess we should try 14. I took one look at a 14 dress and thought "there is no way I can wear that." But guess what.....the 14's fit!! The dress my Mom bought me is absolutely gorgeous!! It fits like a GLOVE, and if I do say so myself, it is absolutely beautiful on me!! The look on my Mom's face when I walked out of the dressing room was priceless!! She tried not to show emotion, but I thought she was going to cry. This has been such a special time in my life. What a difference a year makes!!! This time last year, I was dealing with a lot of stuff, not to mention health problems, and now, all of that is just a memory. No more health problems, and I have met the man of my dreams. God is definitely good!!
I love the people I have met though WLS. So many beautiful people on OH, the Alabama message board, and through our local WLS support groups. It has been an amazing journey, and I wish that EVERYONE could have a similar experience to mine. I have had no problems whatsoever. I would do it again in a heartbeat. This tool has given me my life back, and for the first time in my life, I feel like I am actually living the life I had always wanted. I was never "really" happy....but now, as I said, God has blessed me beyond my imagination. Best of luck to you in your journey!!
July 14, 2005
One month ago, I celebrated my one-year anniversary of having WLS!! I had been stuck at -97 for so long, I had almost decided that's where I would be. But a few weeks ago, it happened - I LOST 100 POUNDS!!! :) Words can't describe my happiness with my results...I wouldn't change a thing about my journey! I am considering plastic surgery now, but I am also planning a wedding and possibly children in my near future. So, who knows!!
I can wear mediums and larges (depending on the clothes) and some smalls. I still have to try things on...because things fit so differently now. I love buying clothes, and could really get into some trouble shopping!! LOL Paying for a wedding has deterred some of my spending, but after this is all done, WATCH OUT!! LOL
Wedding plans are going along smoothly (well, except the band cancelled). Other than that and praying these storms don't do much damage to our little chapel in Gulf Shores, I can't wait!! I just want to enjoy the day and enjoy our families together for our wedding. I am so very happy!!
As always, good luck to any of you who are pursuing WLS. It was the best solution for me!!
August 14, 2005
Well, it is official.....I am married!!! :) Everything went so well, and our wedding was absolutely perfect!! Pictures will be posted to my yahoo photos soon!! I had so many compliments from everyone about everything....and for once, I felt beautiful!! A friend of mine even said I looked like I should be a cake-topper!! I thought that was cute.
Our colors were victorian lilac and sage green, and my dress was off white with a darker champagne color accenting the back and train. Chuck's tie and vest were the same champagne color, and it looked really neat together. My mom did my fresh flowers, which were a mixture of pink roses, purple alstromeria, pink and white waxflower, and lavender lisianthus. Our flowers were the hand-tied kind for that "just gathered" wildflower look. For favors, we had little packets of Hershey's hugs and kisses, and packets of wildflower seeds that featured a picture of Chuck and me in Capitol Park. Elaine at the Wedding Chapel did an outstanding job directing our wedding....it was worth EVERY PENNY to not have to worry about ALL of the details. Weddings can be stressful, but ours wasn't!!
We spent three wonderful days at the Beach House, a bed and breakfast on Fort Morgan Road. It was sooooo nice and relaxing!! We spent hours watching and listening to the surf, with hardly anyone around us. We also got up early to see the sun rise over the nature reserve...again, with NO ONE around us!! It was perfect, and we plan to go back again and again!!
I am still doing well, maintaining my weight loss of 100 pounds. I can tell that even though I am not losing pounds, my body is still changing. Everyone swears I am still losing, but I am not!! I love my results, and I am now considering plastic surgery to resolve my tummy skin issues. We'll see about it, but not sure what I will do. To everyone out there considering this surgery, I can't try to convince you to do it because this has to be a personal decision. I can however say that it was the best decision I ever made!!! I appreciate my surgeon and what he has done for me through this procedure. Everything worked out well for me, and I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!
July 4, 2006
Oh goodness, I didn't realize it has been so long since I updated!! Everything is still going great!! I lost another 5 pounds since I updated, so that brings my total loss to 105!! I am still sooooo very happy with my results. I am getting the "you don't need to lose anymore weight" and the finger shaking from most of my family. They only see me every now and then, and they swear that I am still losing. I know that I am not!!! My clothes fit great, and I know what the scale says, not to mention I feel wonderful.
I now tell people that deciding to have WLS was one of the best decisions I EVER made!! I am so thankful that I was able to have it done, and I am thankful for my results. I wouldn't change a thing about my journey!!
Chuck and I are doing well. We just bought a house 2 months ago today!! We are sooooo happy, and can't wait to see what our future holds. I am enjoying my summer off, and still trying to get everything unpacked. We have a few home improvement plans, but nothing major.
I am really sad that I haven't updated more often, but there haven't been many changes. I am still holding steady!! :) To everyone reading this, thank you! :) If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to email me!! I love OH, and all of the friends I have made here!!
