SassySamara
| Samara's Story... |
**Life isn't worth living unless you're willing to take some big chances and go for broke.-- Eliot Wiggington
For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin--real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.-- Alfred D. Souza
God created woman from man's rib...not from his head to top him nor from his feet to be trampled upon by him...but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.....
Welcome  to Samara's Weight Loss Journey Thanks for stopping by!!! Here is the website address to Neweigh who is the facilitator for my surgeon and above all else a GREAT HELP! **********************WWWW.NEWEIGHWEB.COM*********************** *****Here is the link for my website that has a picture diary of my weight loss journey as well as other pics I like to share:  **Life isn't worth living unless you're willing to take some big chances and go for broke.-- Eliot Wiggington For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin--real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.-- Alfred D. Souza God created woman from man's rib...not from his head to top him nor from his feet to be trampled upon by him...but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him..... I have tried-unsuccessfully- for at least seven years at every diet imaginable- including those that most would laugh at, you know the ones, cabbage soup/hollywood juice diet, and then of course there were all the *SUREFIRE* ones like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and Dr. Adkins.I am only 24 years old and married to an incredible guy, Mustapha, and I want to be able to enjoy my life with him and our "future" children. I weigh 281 lbs! Shocking I know. This is why after no success I decided to look in to RNY surgery since I had a few co-workers past and current who had received the surgery and had great success with it.  07/03/03- Today I drove to Houston and had my initial consultation with Neweigh who is the facilitator for the surgeon I plan to use. (The wait in San Antonio for RNY is like 2 Years!!) They do a detailed medical intake and also give you several referrals for supplemental tests that will aid in your attempt at insurance approval such as Sleep Apnea testing and Diabetes tests. I was pleased with the information and the amount of support they had to offer. Most of their office staff has had the surgery which is great because you get first hand knowledge about the surgery and what it is all about.  07/10/03- I went and had the blood work and and the Diabetes testing today at my doctor's office and that took a few hours because one of the tests required you to go eat and then come back after two hours to have more blood drawn. In the meantime I also went and had my gallbladder ultrasound done. Apparently if you have evidence of stones or any other problems they will go ahead and take it out during the RNY. I also called and scheduled my psychological evaluation and Pulmonology/Sleep Study tests which is the last of my referrals that Dr. J is requesting at this time. Still no word from the insurance as to whether or not this is a GO! I find myself daydreaming and imaging what it would be like to be THIN- I just hope that I don't get my hopes up only to be told NO!  07/18/03- Well, been busy over the past few days. Yesterday I had my consult with the psychologist who is making me go back next week for personality tests and a couple of other things before he feels he can give the final okay on whether or not I will stay SANE after the surgery..LOL I also had the preliminary visit with the pulmonologist who will be conducting my sleep study this coming week. I am anxious to see whether or not I have sleep apnea- I hope not??!? My father was also admitted into the hospital today with kidney and bladder problems so that was a bummer since he is really sick and all- the doctors are running more tests including cancer and other things as well. I am praying that everything goes well with that. When I got home there was a letter from my insurance company which I tore open with shaky hands only to find that it was the approval for the psychological evaluation that I had already GOTTEN over the PHONE. Boy was I dissapointed. Oh well-better luck next week. 07/22/03- Well last night was my sleep test study for sleep apnea and while it was not as bad as I expected it was definitely not an enjoyable experience for me. All those wires and patches are not comfortable and I sleep on my stomach so having to sleep on my side or back was also not so great. I also had a horrible migraine which by the time I was woken up at 530am had only gotten worse so on the drive home I had to make my husband pull over so I could vomit- ugh- not fun. Luckily I did not have to work though so I slept most of the day and now I feel much better. Still no word from the insurance but I do have my final consult with the psych guy this Thursday and then as far as I know no more tests unless something comes up with the sleep apnea so now it is just wait and see. I think I will call Neweigh tomorrow to make sure they have received all the other results because I know these are sent as supplemental information with the letter of medical necessity from the surgeon. To be totally honest I don't even know if they have submitted the letter yet because they may be waiting for all these tests- I hope not though- the sleep apnea results take up to 10 days and then I have at least 2 weeks from that time for insurance to approve- ugh- this waiting sucks! Who got approved??? I GOT APPROVED!!! OH YEAH!!! 7/23/03 I AM APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so EXCITED and I can hardly contain myself. I was calling Neweigh just to see if they had received any of my testing results from the other physicians and I asked the lady I was speaking with if she knew whether or not my information had been submitted to the insurance or if they were waiting on the test results and she said those 3 magic words- YOU ARE APPROVED! I can schedule for the surgery just as soon as the test results from Sleep Apnea come back. I am definitely going to stay on there case to get those results in- I hope I don't have it or else the surgery will only be delayed... 07/29/03-Just checking in- still no word from Neweigh- basically we are just holding out on the results for my last two tests (sleep apnea and psych eval) and then the doctor gives clearance and from there you can be given the *DATE* The only bad thing is that if the information is not there by Thursday I have to wait until next Thursday because that is the only time the surgeon is there to review the records. However the good thing is that once it is reviewed the surgery is scheduled pretty quickly thereafter. I guess it is just so hard to WAIT! ************In between goals is a thing called life, that has to be lived and enjoyed. -- Sid Caesar****************************  sleep apnea results didn't come back in time so I am resigned to wait until next Thursday for the physician to review my results and clear me for surgery..BUMMER. I am definitely going to be on the Sleep Centers case seeing as how it has now been 10 "business days" and this is their alotted time for results. Ugh- this waiting is horrible but I know in the end it will be well worth it.08/04/03- Slowly inching one step closer. Spoke with Lone Star Sleep Labs today about the results since today is the 10th business day (ugh) and pleaded with the girl to check on my results for me since I want to have them in by Thursday for Dr. J to see and then hopefully I will find out the big day on Friday...keeping my fingers crossed. I also received a copy of the psych eval in the mail today which stated the psychologist recommened me as a "good candidate" for this procedure. Some of the stuff was werid about how I have "mild" depression and can have defense mechanisms but as I started to get defensive I laughed at myself and realized when I take OFFENSE to something I tend to get DEFENSIVE..LOL. I guess I KNOW I am fat and it is obvious but it was weird to see in the opening line...."Samara is an attractive 24 year old who is OBVIOUSLY overweight"- what a damper- but oh well- hopefully I am one step closer to being on the losing side of this game and for once I can say I wanna LOSE to WIN! Well that's all for now and hopefully I will have more to update later in the week. 08/09/03 Well I got my CPAP machine yesterday and needless to say it was not a good first day with it. If anything I felt like it was choking me and not helping me breath. I was only able to tolerate it for a few hours before I took it off. I will try for longer tonight and hopefully it will just get better as I go and in the long run I hope that I will only be needing it for a short period of time. The good news is that because I was issued the machine before the 2nd sleep study was even done the surgeons office is going to review my file to see about just scheduling the surgery now. Normally you don't get the machine until the 2nd sleep study but I guess they do things a little differently around here so on Monday I am to call and get an "update" on things. Once again all I can do is wait.... 08/12/03- Here we go again! I have another sleep study but luckily it is for this Friday instead of 09/22/03. I decided to go to another sleep center because the original just wasn't going to work for me. I mean 09/22!! Then it takes 10 days to get the results and then at least another 2 for surgery- we are talking October here and I started this in June and let me tell you- Patience is a virtue but I HATE waiting- I made the decision so lets do it. Hopefully all will go well and then I can do this thing. I can't take anymore road blocks. I know I will have to have the CPAP for at least 10 days after so maybe I can do this in September- keeping fingers crossed. 08/17/03- No need to wait until September- happy happy- joy joy! I have a date!! I will be having my surgery on Friday August 22, 2003 and I can hardly contain myself. After all that praying someone finally heard me and my wish came true. I received the call last week on Tuesday but wanted to wait until I had all my pre-op testing completed- just to make sure I didn't *jinx* it. Apparently my physician liason at Neweigh spoke with Dr. J office and some other people and was really interested as to why I had to wait if I had the CPAP machine because whether or not I had the second study it was on temporary setting which were helping me for the sleep apnea and in 6 months it would probably be re-adjusted if not even gotten rid off. Since this was the only thing holding me back and Dr. J cleared it they called to schedule my surgey. My husband and I drove to Houston on Thursday of this past week and completed all my pre-op testing and also had my final appointment with Dr. J to discuss any last minute concerns or questions that I had. They did call me back the next day to say I was anemic and that there were traces of bacteria in my urine but he advised me to start a vitamin supplement with Iron and let them know if I had any pelvic or abdominal pain which I don't. So hopefully this will all work out and 5 days from know I will be on the losing side!!! 08/20/03- It is soooo.. close!! After today just one more day and I know it is going to go by fast. Today is my last day at work before the surgery. I am using tomorrow to prepare all my things and I need to be in Houston tomorrow afternoon anyway so we will probably be leaving mid morning to get there before traffic starts up- Houston has horrendous traffic. I have to give one more blood sample for cross matching with the hospitals supply. After that I just have to wait for Friday 8am ( I will probably show up early- and then I will be on my way to the losing side!) Tonight my husband is taking me out to have a nice dinner at a restaurant I have been wanting to go to for a while and then we might go to a movie or just spend "quality" time together. He is nervous enough for me and him both! The only thing I am left to stress about is work. Apparently getting the doctor to fill out the FMLA forms is not enough. That will cover my absence for the time I am gone but not the pay. I of course don't have enough sick/vacation to cover 6 weeks so I need to apply for short term disability which is more forms for the doctor to sign. I of course won't see him again until the day of surgery. I faxed the forms to him and he is not going to look at them until he has his "clinic" day on Thursday. They probably won't get faxed until Friday and then the company takes 5 days to process them. So I am looking at the possibility of about 2 weeks w/o pay which sucks for me. They make you wait like 8 days just to get the disability and I didn't even have the sick time to cover those- UGH! Just when I thought I had all my ducks in a row. Oh well- what can I do. Hopefully this will all work out! 08/26/03 I MADE IT! I am home and recovering. I will update more as I feel better but just wanted to let you know I am on the losing side now! 08/30/03- Well it has been a week and I am feeling much better now. Today was my first "outing". My husband took me to the mall just so I could get out of the house and get some exercise. We walked around for a while and in my head as I looked at all those "small" clothes I just kept telling myself...soon..soon...just hang in there..LOL I felt much better after that since I have been cooped in the house for about a week so hopefully that will tide me over. I have been getting out and walking around my apartment complex for at least 20 minutes a day though and by the end of next week I hope to start using the exercise room and pool also. I have my first follow up with Dr. Jayakumar on September 11th so I think I will save my first weigh in for then but we will see if I can hold out until then. 09/04/03- Well tomorrow will make it two weeks since my surgery and I feel better. I am still sore but no where near the pain that I had when I first came home. I still have some bruises from all the shots I got (especially the blood thinner) and my arm finally feels normal. I had a problem with the IV and developed major swelling in my forearm that resulted in them having to relocate the IV to a new location when I was in the hospital but other than that no other big worries. The staff was nice-I had my favorites- and the room wasn't bad either..LOL I still have not weighed myself though I am tempted. I feel like I haven't lost anything and am scared to weigh for fear that I will get discouraged or upset and feel like this was all for nothing but I am hoping we all go through that in the beginning. I have a great support system which helps. One of my co-workers and friend had this surgery several months ago and is doing great and thanks to her I am able to get a lot of my questions/concerns answered since she has been/ and is still going through this. It really is a BIG help because I can get suggestions and opinions and well as make sure I am not going BONKERS! Next week is my follow up so hopefuly there will be some weight loss. The week after my father is having major surgery due to cancer so I hope I can keep it all together. I really have NO APPETITE as it is and stress or sadness can only make it worse so we will see. That's enough rambling for now and update soon...hopefully with all good news. *hugs* 09/15/03- Well I had my post-op appointment and was overjoyed to find out in 3 weeks I have gone from 281 lbs to 244 lbs. Unfortunately I had been having bad nausea for about 4 days before hand and was not able to keep too many food or liquids down so by the time I had my appointment I was miserably sick and doctor decided to admit me back into the hospital for further testing and observation to make sure all was okay. I was in there from Thursay to Sunday and it was hard at first because I was not prepared and had nothing with me but luckily my mom- who drove me- called my husband who was able to come up the next day with what I needed. They did x-ray, cat scan, untrasound, and the dreaded GI test with the tube but luckily I was sedated for that one. All they found was slightly enlarged pancreas and stomach swollen-probably from all the vomiting. I had plenty of fluids and meds too. If anything problems with the IV..again- were worse. I ended up having 3 different ones and one blown vein from an inexperienced nurse so now I look like a junkie because my arms are all swollen with black and blue marks everywhere. Oh well- I feel much better now- bite my tongue- and hope the loosing continues. I have another appt in a few weeks so I will keep you posted... 09/22/03 Today was another great day- seems things are looking up for me since the last week. Now that I can eat soft foods I have many more options I am happier. I also introduced myself to the local forum board for TX and was pleased to find this weekend will be the 1st ever TX support group so I am excited to meet new faces and friends who will help me on this new journey. I will be attending with a friend who I met at work and introduced me to WLS. This Thursday will be my 5/6 week check up so I am excited to find out my loss. So many great things this past week, 1st time at a restaurant (a buffet-blah) and only 1 trip to buffet with 1/3 plate eaten, grocery shopping and realizing the groceries were healthier and gonna last much longer..LOL and finally fitting into the silk pajamas I got for Christmas after a 40 lb loss.. LIFE IS GRAND!! Today I also got a call from Lonestar sleep lab to confirm my 2nd sleep study (which I luckily never needed) I had cancelled it over a month ago. I can't imagine having waited this long and then another 15 days for results and then scheduling surgery- I would have jumped out of my skin by then. Oh well- I guess I will update after Thursday's visit-hopefully with a new weight!! 09/26/03 Well I had my visit with Dr. Jayakumar and I actually weighed in at 4 lbs more than what I did last time. However, believe it or not I still lost. Since I had gained weight after the hospital IV and the 4 days of no food/water I did lose that and had 4 lbs left. While I was dissapointed at first I realized this just means I have to work harder and according to doctor EAT more!! I haven't had much appetite so that was hard but I did good today. I had my 64oz water, 1 protein shake (30grams protein), cottage cheese, chicken breast, green beans, and some more cottage cheese which is WAY more than I have been getting. I also exercised. Hopefully this will help. I want to lose at least 50 more pounds by my next visit in December so we will see. 11/08/03- WOW! It has been a while since my last update but things have been so up and down that I have not thought to update the profile itself. I have found a wonderful support network on the local (TEXAS) message board and am able to get a lot of useful information. Since my last update and hospital stay I was doing okay and then 3 weeks back started feeling ill again. I went to the local ER and also had a visit with a local GI doc that a friend referred me to. He was great! Turns out that I had a stricture that needed to be dilated so I had that done on Wednesday and am feeling better and plan to go to work..again...this coming week. My weight is down to 235 from 280 which is not a whole lot but I knew in the beginning I would be a slow loser and with all the complications this is something I can accept but hope that I will be able to speed things up so that I can at least say I lost 50 pounds by my follow up in December. I am celebrating Ramadan, which is a Muslim holiday (my faith) of fasting during daylight hours for 30 days (10/26-11/26) and I am hanging in there. I struggled with the decision to do so but it was a personal issue that so far I am happy with. I know this may hinder weight loss but it is a sacrifice I want to make. Also I will be starting school in December to get my CMA certification for a start towards my RN degree that I never completed. I have a restored confidence even with this much weight loss..(guess it helps to know scrubs will fit..lol) and hope that it only grows. Well that is about it for now but I hope to be able to update in the near future with an increased weight loss. Take Care! 11/22/03- Well things are moving along-not as fast as I would like but nevertheless greatful for the loss. I am down to 228lbs from 280 so this is a success thus far. YEsterday was my sisters birthday so we had a chance to spend some time together and it was fun. My dad is also out of the hospital after his major surgery to remove the cancer he had and is now in a rehabilitation facility recuperating and getting his strength back. I need to schedule for my 3 month follow up with Dr. Jayakumar for sometime soon before school starts on Dec.19th because otherwise I just won't have the time to go to Houston anytime soon. I am hoping to lose at least 10-15 pounds by then because my Christmas party for work is 12/13/03 and I would really love to be able to pick something nice and feel GOOD in it. We shall see. Keep you updated! 12/12/03 Well I had my 3 month follow up visit with Dr. Jayakumar yesterday in Houston and I am now down to 225 from 281 lbs which is a loss of 56 lbs since my surgery. I was very happy and so was my doctor and his staff. The day before the appointment my husband took me shopping- I finally broke down and realized I needed some new pants- and I fit into a size 16from Old Navy- no stretch or anything. This is from a Lane Bryant size 24 which we know are "generously" cut. I also got some tops from another store in a 14/16. My Christmas party for work is tomorrow and I got a dress also in a 16 that I love. I am happy that it is a dress that I got to choose because I liked it and not just because it was the only one that fit me. I will have to keep anyone that reads this profile of what happens and hope to have a pic on here soon. I have set up a site on picture trail that does have a few pics as well since those usually get posted a bit quicker than the ones here due to the load. Talk to ya'll soon. > 12/23/03 Well the work Christmas party was nice and I had a good time..better than the previous 2 I must admit. I actually was with a group of people I enjoyed, including my friend Andria who had WLS this past year and is down -113 lbs!! She looked marvelous to say the least. I also got to wear a gown I WANTED to wear and did not feel self concious about. My husband has always been very supportive of me and never made my weight an issue but that night I felt like I was not putting him to shame on his arm and no one was whispering.. "why is he with her" cause we all know personality is just not a valid excuse these days..LOL and short of boasting bedroom skills what else is there to brag about :) I posted pics of the party on my picture trail site and hope to have some others here soon now that I finally figured out how to actually work my digital camera AND upload the pictures I can hopefully keep a better diary of this process. Yesterday was my 4 mth anniversary and I am down -62.5 lbs and happy about that. I hope to be at goal which is about 60 lbs away by April but we will see. My birthday is on the 9th and that would be the best gift ever!! I started school last week so life is hectic to say the least but I think that is good because it takes my mind off constantly worrying whether or not I am at a loss or not. I just wanna go with the flow for a while and kinda lay back for a while cause this can get stressful. People at work tell me I look great which I appreciate but man I WANT MORE>>NOW>> .... lol Well we will see and that is all for now. ohh...the hair is falling out like CRAZY..will it stop...I hope so...before there is NONE left! 01/09/04- Well I made it through the holidays and great news.. no gains...only losses..Yea for me! I am now at 211 lbs which puts me at 70 lbs lost in 4.5 months which is absolutely fabulous. I am in size 16 jeans..including my 5 yr old GAP button fly jeans which to me is a huge success, I could probably even get into size 14 at Old Navy since I fit into those 16's long before the GAP ones. I think that manufacturers must be increasing the measurements as the years go by and the population gets bigger overall. Which I guess works out to my advantage because I know that once I am comfortably in a 14/16 it will be even easier to find decent, affordable, clothes at REGULAR stores. I also have an appoinment scheduled with a plastic surgeon this month for a consult on a breast reduction. Although they are not as big as they used to be I still want to reduce them and also get a lift cause those sisters are sagging and sheesh- before too long they will need tube socks..LOL School is rough but I am doing well and just trying to balance that with working full time is a task in itself. I hope it does not hinder my loss with this wacky new schedule because I feel like I am either eating too much or too little and with few hours of sleep and no exercise this does not make for a good combination. I want to be at goal by my birthday which is 04/09 and so that leaves me about 3 months. Even if I am close I will be happy. I would love to weigh 150 but even 160 or so would not be bad. Heck-whose complaining- anything with a 1 sounds good now to a girl that was pushing 300. I will post, for those who may actually read this, after my appt with the PS to see what is the next step in this journey. Hugs and Kisses to All!  You are the loving couple. Now all couples love but you two seem to be perfect for each other. You hardly fight, you're not afraid to show your feelings in public, and you understand each other. That's not to say you don't have your bumpy points in the road. You may have huge arguments but you never get over each other and you put each other first no matter what. If you mess up you try to see what was wrong and try to improve it. What Kind Of Couple Are You And Your Partner? brought to you by Quizilla 02/05/04 Well I did finally get that plastic surgery consultation completed after some delay and confusion over whether I did or did not need a referral from my PCP. Turns out I did so my appointment was rescheduled and finally completed on 02/03/04. My PCP had documented my history of back pain, rashes, and other problems. She also noted that after almost 80 lbs lost so far there was not a significant loss in the breast tissue so I was a good candidate for the reduction. The PS also thought so. He did his required documentation and it was submitted for approval through insurance which can take up to 3 weeks. I am such an impatient person that it is already getting to me. The prospect of getting this done is so exciting and I hate to get my hopes up but it is hard not too. United Healthcare is good about most things, including 100% coverage of the WLS, but...PS is not their strong point and almost always denied. The only one they really cover is breast reduction. I have not ever heard of anyone getting any other type of PS procedure through them. So we shall see. School is going well, I am an A student so far, and work is same crap, different day..LOL So until next time when I hopefully have news of an approval!?!?!?!..... 03/03/04 Well I did not get the good news I was expecting in regards to the plastic surgery. I found out on Friday from the surgeons office I was denied by the medical review board. They determined that not enough tissue was going to be removed!?!?! Whatever!! Their way of not paying. A appeal has been sent so now more waiting. I was disappointed but what can a girl do?? No more big losses on the scale but I am still losing inches so that makes me happy and I need to get over the number and realize if I feel and look good that is all that matters not the number on the scale. School is getting fun as we get into more practicals and hands on things so that is helping the time go by much faster for me. Well that is all for now and I will update when I hear anything from insurance or the PS office. TTFN! 03/05/04 Not much time to write but just wanted to have it noted that today is a MONUMENTAL day for me. I got on the scales this morning..and low and behold... I weighed in at 198.5!! Goodbye 200's hello 100's!! I am ecstatic. The past weeks have been rough with the scale hanging on to those last few pounds in the 200's for dear life. I want to lose between 40-50 more pounds and hope to have that done by my one year anniversary which is about 5 months away. I need to really crack down on myself and not let old habits return to bite me in the bum. Also on a happy note..found out today I will be an AUNT again...my sister in law is pregnant and do in Oct/Nov I can not wait. Thats all for now..more later. TTFN! 04/12/04 Well it has been a long but fun-filled weekend to say the least starting on Thrusday 04/08. I had my follow up appointment with Dr. Jayakumar and he was very pleased with my progress thus far. I weighed in at 194 lbs which was not where I wanted to be but still a loss of -31 lbs since my last visit in December. He also gave me a "goal" weight that I should shoot for which he has never done before. He would like me to get down to 170. I had aimed for 150 which he says is too low for my height of 5ft 9 so we made a compromise of 160-165. We will see what I look like when I get there. I am hoping to meet that goal by my 1 year follow up in August. Also while in Houston I was able to meet about 15 OH members and that was great. They are also doing well on their journeys. Time has flown and it is hard to believe I have come this far. In addition, I also celebrated my birthday on 04/09 with family and friends and the celebration was continued throughout the weekend so good times were had by all. When all was said and done I weighed this morning and found I was down to 190 which was fantastic and puts me at only 20 lbs from my doctors goal and a total loss of 91 lbs (WOWZA almost 100 gone for good!). I still have not heard anything from my plastic surgeon in regards to the appeal that was submitted on my behalf for the breast reduction so I guess for now no news is good news. I will keep you posted as soon as I hear anything. Hugs and Blessings to all. 05/24/04 Well the appeal for my breast reduction surgery was denied but I can't say I am too dissappointed because I kind of expected it. I will not give up though and have decided to pursue other avenues. I have a consultation with another PS on June 1st and a fellow WLS friend and confidant, Andria, will also be going for her consult as well. I will be looking into some other procedures as well and figure why the heck not if I have to pay for it right?? LOL I have not been feeling so good lately, think I have another stricture and was actually in the ER this past week with what I was sure was a twisted bowel and had myself sure I was on my death bed. Luckily after a CT scan it was determined it was not. BUT.. I do have a kidney stone and possible ulcer. Nonetheless that should be taken care of soon and I STILL WOULD do this again despite what people may think or say. Some people can be so shallow and have even had the gall to mention as to whether or not I wish I had "just dieted" People...as if I DID NOT TRY! Trust me, RNY is a last resort and I do not think anyone who did not have to would do it otherwise. Also me and Andria went to the OH conference in Arlington and had a blast. It is amazing how differently people treat you when you are "thin." Although we are both married we went out for a night on the town and let me tell ya..had to shake em of with a stick. Loved the attention and gave a boost to the good ol' ego for sure but home is definitely where the heart is. I am down to 182.5 lbs which means I will be at -100 lbs in another 1.5 and can't believe that 9 months ago I was miserable and obese. I want to lose between 20-30 more lbs and hope I can do it. I will try to get an updated pic on here sooner rather than later but will probably wait for the 100 lb mark so I can post to the before and after gallery...FINALLY! Loss is getting harder but not obsolete as of yet. Hope everyone is well and having success wherever you are in your journey. Take care. June 26, 2004 Well I did finally make the century club and have actually surpassed it..Yeah for me! I am now down to 176 lbs which is 6 lbs away from my doctors goal of 170 for me and I want to get to at least 160 but may push it to 150 if I can. I guess we can never be satisfied huh!?!? LOL I was having some gastro problems and after a series of upper and lower scopes nothing major was found so for now I just have to keep an eye on things and try to eat and drink to stay healthy. I was also advised to get on some anti-depressants as stress can sometimes lead to a lot of other things. School is getting down to the end now. I have finals coming up in 2 weeks and then I will start a 2 month externship before I will be done done done! I go back to work after having almost a month off due to all my problems this coming week so hopefully it will not be too rough. Also me and hubby went shopping the other day and we popped into Lerner so I could see if they had anything I liked and lucky me.. I actually fit into a pair of size 12 linen cropped pants. I think hubby actually saw the difference in me too. I guess when you see someone everyday it is hard to notice a difference. He will be going home to Morocco for a 1 1/2 month visit on 7/19(have to stay thanks to school..bummer) but I am hoping to be at goal by the time he returns at the end of August. Wouldn't that be something. I am still also exploring options for plastic surgery whether it is self pay or not and if anything want to get my thighs and hips done and will sacrifice the tummy and boobs for a later time..say when I become a millionaire..a girl can dream can't she. So that is all for now but I will keep ya'll posted and hopefully soon get that pic I promised updated on here. Hugs to all.
08/02/04 Well as of today I am officially at my doctors goal weight for me...170 lbs! That is 20 days shy of my 1 year anniversart. I of course want to push it and see if I can lose another 10-15 lbs but of course if I do not I still think that I am a success. A lot of the issues I have are with the excess skin..most especially my thighs but what can I do...besides win the lottery! My hubby is out of the country still, has been since 07/19 so I am hoping when he returns to really be looking great and healthy since I was a bit sick before he left. I am trying to keep myself busy and that has not been a hard thing to do thanks to my externship and full time job but I do manage to find time to go out here and there with friends and so that is a good thing. :-D I have lost quite a bit these past 2 weeks and could not give you an honest answer as to why or how but am glad nonetheless. I will try to get another updated pic on here soon and until then much love to all. **Hugs** 8/22/2004 ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Well I made it through my 1st year of WLS and I must say that I am proud of how far I have come and what I have been able to achieve thanks to so many people and all the wonderful support systems that I have. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to not only take control of my life but to have met so many great people in the process. One year ago today I was scared and wondering if I was making the right decision about having the WLS and did not even know if it would work. But... I did it..and I am so glad that I did. I have met my doctors goal of 170 lbs and am going to continue trying to lose to get to my personal goal of 160. Nevertheless I have still lost 111 lbs to date. I am healthy and happy and can say that all my previous co morbidities are gone. I can shop where I want and not be embarassed that people will wonder what the heck am I doing in there. I can comfortably wear my seatbelt, fit in amusement park rides, and have room to spare in the movie theatre seat. Everyday I have even more experiences to add to my list. I can remember thinking if I only lost 50 lbs this surgery would have been worth it and I think that is true. My husband has a new wife. One that is happy and confident of herself and what I can accomplish. Recently at work I have been helping train new hires and never before would I have been confident enough to stand in front of 15-20 complete strangers but not I do not even give thought to it. This surgery is like a gift that keeps on giving. I pray that everyone has the same luck and success that I have been able to. I know that it is not a fix all for everything in life but it most definitely helps. Thanks so much to everyone who has been a wonderful support system to me..especially my Habibi (love) Mustapha, and my best friend Andria... Hugs to All, Samara 281/170 -111 10/20/04 Well it has been a while since I have updated so I guess I better get on with it. Life has been good to me. I finished my externship with school and am actively looking for work in the nursing field but in the meantime am sticking with my current job which I like. I did go to part time but am still able to get all my benefits and about equal pay thanks to commissions. I was having some problems with frequent nosebleeds and after several visits to an ENT specialist it was determined that thanks to several previous nose breaks (childhood mishaps) that I had a deviated septum and would need to have nasal surgery to correct it which will be done 10/25. So the only plastic surgery I will be getting for now is a nose job..LOL I also had another sleep apnea test and it seems that even after weight loss I still have it which they now think is due to the nose problems and not just having been overweight. After surgery I will get another test to see if the problem is corrected. I hope so! I am down to 161 lbs which is only 1 lbs away from my personal goal and 9 lbs below my surgeons goal for me. Although I think I may want to push it to 150! With the skin issues it makes it seem as though you have to lose more to seem normal. I hate that but what can I do. Hubby is completely happy with me as I am and my mom insists I am obsessed and must stop losing. Who knows what will happen?? I am also on anti- depressants due to some mood swings I have been having but I hope to get those under control soon and the meds do help to "balance" me out and I feel much better. Weight loss and life changes in general can take a toll on you and everyone thinks you should be happy happy happy all the time and that is not always the case. I also will go see my surgeon for my 1 year follow up (2 months late) to see what he thinks and to see and if I am done with my loss thus far! I will let ya'll know how it goes. Hugs... 12/03/04 Well today I said goodbye to the 160's and hello to the 150's which made me very very happy to say the least. I weighed in at 159 and am hoping to get down to 150 within the next few months if not sooner. It feels great to still be able to lose this far out although it is slowly. I have recently tried to increase water and protein as well as make better food choices so I can't say for sure that is why I am losing but none the less I am happy to lose. I made it through my nasal surgery without too many problems. Still having some nosebleeds and allergy problems but I can breathe better. I will have to get another sleep apnea test and am going for allergy testing as well next week so maybe that will help too. Other than that life is good. Me and my husband will be celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary 12/05/04 and I am excited to see what the evening will bring. We will be having dinner at the restaurant of our wedding dinner Tower of The Americas which is about 400 feet in the air and rotates to offer views of the city. Then on Dec 11 we will be attending my company's Holiday party and if I though having lost 50 lbs by last years was great this one should be even better at 122 lbs down!! It feels weird to be able to do these things and wear what I want and feel confident about it. So many good things are happening in my life and I love it and thank the surgery and support of family and friends for that. Hugs to All. 03/09/2005 Wow, been a while since I have updated the profile or at least the posts are getting farther and farther apart. I guess I can chalk that up to being able to live and enjoy life thanks to this surgery. So much has been going on though. In January we received word that my father-in-law who was in Morocco had suffered a series of strokes and was very ill so my husband and I decided to go there to visit. He had just been there in the summer for about 2 months so this was a big shock to us all. Nonetheless we left on 01/12/05 and had a horrid time. His father was not able to speak and was paralyzed on his right side. He had to have round the clock care by someone including feeding, bathing, changing, etc. We extended our leave several times but did finally leave on 02/06/05. We arrived home on 02/06/05 and unfortunately on 02/08/05 we received a call that my father-in-law had passed away. Soooo..the next day we were back on a flight to Morocco. Strenuous to say the least and in the end I ended up fainting on the flight between our connection from Detroit and Paris. I think it was a mix of sadness, stress, jet lag, lack of food...I dunno but freaky to say the least. Anyhow we made it through it all and were back in the states on 02/23 and have since been trying to move on. I did leave my job of almost 5 years with Time Warner but have since utlizied my new degree in the medical field and will be starting a new position on 03/21/05 that I am looking forward to. I am stable weight wise as well..down to 157 which is not the 150 I would like to be but a comfortable medium for me. Doc wanted me at 170, I said 160 than 150..so 157 is NOT bad. Guess we can never be satisfied huh? Also I did hear that Neweigh is coming to San Antonio to open an office and so I did submit my resume because I think it would be awesome to help others in the way they have helped me so we shall see about that too. And the last bit of news...me and hubby have decided to move forward to the next chapter in our lives and try to start a family. Not sure how long it will take but anxious and excited nonetheless so hopefully will have news to update on that area real soon. In the meantime hope everyone is doing well in their journey and having success and happiness. 04/09/05 Wow! Today I am another year older but I can honestly say I do not dread that or my birthday this year and for so many different reasons. I am thinner, healthier, and happier than I have been in years. I got a great new job at LA Weight Loss Centers and I feel I am coming full circle with this experience and will not be able to "pay it forward" so to speak. I think this job will provide me with the opportunity to provide inspiration and support to others who are in the same place I was just under 2 years ago. I am blessed for that. I am not only loving life but LIVING life and that is what it is all about. I dread to think where or what I would be doing now had I not lost the weight. Probably in the same dead end I was at. Instead I am married, progressing my education and career a step at a time, working on starting a family, and in general what I consider to be a WLS success. I am down to 156 and although I would love to lose more I will not be dissappointed if I do not. I love it! 05/14/05 Well not too much change going on in life these days...bouncing back and forth with weight and have gotten down to 156 so far... Work at LA Weight Loss is going well although I noticed that I do find myself being more self conscious about my weight...seeing as how I have people stepping up and down on a scale all day I suppose that does make sense..LOL I did decide to try the plan out myself though to see how that works..and there are actually several other bypass patients using the plan for loss or maintenance or also to get rid of baby weight after having beautiful, healthy babies! As for us..still no luck in the baby department...but not for lack of trying that is for sure. Hee*Hee I have lost about 1 lb so far on the plan and am anxious to see if I can maybe get these last few pesky pounds off. I have also gotten in contact with several plastic surgeons and am researching various options for maybe getting at least a medial thigh lift and some liposuction for now. I figure maybe if I get a little done at a time I can eventually get it all done...a girl can dream right?!?! Well I hope all is well with everyone elses journey wherever you are in the process and hope to have better news soon. Hugs! XOXOXOX 09/06/2006 Well sheesh..it sure has been a long time since I have posted! I do take a peek at the boards now and then to see how everyone is doing but other than that not too much time for much else. My 3 year anniversary came and went back on 8-22-06 and I am still loving life and grateful for having had the opportunity to have had this life changing surgery. I am holding steady at 160 lbs and although I can eat way more than I used to at first and feel more "normal" in terms of eating I try to make good choices but it does get harder to do so. I work at a place that has over 3 cafeterias within the facility and they include everything from buffets to fast food including Wendy's, Subway, Chick-fil-A, you name it and you can get it. Ice cream, smoothies, cakes..the list goes on. I do not restrict myself from anything as I have found the more you do that the more you want something but I do set limitations for myself. I had gained some weight, about 5-10 lbs and was not happy about it as I think being at or close to 160 is better for me and my ideal "happy" weight. Then me and hubby went to Morocco in July and stayed for a month and I had time to put myself in check. While I ate 3 meals a day and snacks as well I was able to eat healthier food, there was a lot of walking and activity, and I drank LOTS of water and juice instead of soda or things like that, and overall I just felt better. So..with that said, I got back and voila found I had lost about 10 lbs and I was pleased. I am trying to maintain that and get back on the bandwagon and so far so good. Work is great, I love my job and am advancing and also got a scholarship for tuition aid to return to school so I plan to do that as well within the next semester. I have always been one of those weirdos who loved the challenge of school and if that ccould be my job I would probably do it...LOL Also, a co-worker of mine had surgery with Dr. Jayakumar after I recommended him and in about 3 months has lost close to 100 lbs which is awesome. Another co-worker is also now considering the surgery. I do not walk around with a sign advertising the surgery or that I had it but I am an advocate for it and for those who I feel TRULY need it and would benefit from it as they have exhausted all other means. We also have a fitness center at our job so that helps in that I have others to go with and we like to take various classes like spinning, tae-kwon-do and aerobics. Anyhow, I hope as always that everyone is doing well at whatever point they are in on their journey. I hope to have some new pics posted soon but did have a chance to most a recent 3 yr pic on my site if anyone would like to check it out...just click on the link up top. Take care and God Bless. ~**Samara**~
About Me
San Antonio, TX
Location
23.0
BMI
Surgery
08/22/2003
Surgery Date
Jun 09, 2003
Member Since
Before & After
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