Has been so long since I have been on here so first I want to say sorry for my delay in updating, but as a very wise 9 year old told me "life gets in the way of living"! Tomorrow will be 18 months since I had my band done. My life has totally changed, not just with the drastic weight loss but in all corners of my life. I lost 110 lbs and I am struggling with my last 10 pounds. I am doing so much now, most of it is only stuff I dreamed I would do since I knew that physically with the weight I could not do any of it. My health has drastically changed for the better which was my main reason for doing the band.
I will share with you that so much of this journey is mental, and once you realize that, own it , and vow to stop thinking like you did before, only then can the weight come off and STAY off. My surgeon says I am his poster child for band surgery! I had minor surgery for a different matter and when the nurse heard I have a lap band she said hundreds of patients get it yet she does not see good results with it, so she asked me why I had so much "luck" with it? I told her luck had nothing to do with it, it was determination and listening to my Dr and choosing to live a better quality of life.
So for all of you that are thinking of doing this, just remember this is not magic, this is hard work and dedication to change. Remember what Einstein said "the sure sign of a crazy person is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome".
Good Heath
Theresa
Ok had my surgery June 10th and all is well, down 15 pounds and I go next friday to the dr for my 3 week follow up. I should be moving to mushies on July 1. So far today was the first day I can say I was hungry and I wanted lettuce and a hard boiled egg. Strange I know
Walking 5 days a week either at the gym or the mall and that helps with the gas and poops.
I will update after Dr appointment
Peace
Ok so I had a come to Jesus meeting with my husband about my surgery. He finally understands and is supporting me but it was an up hill climb. Went to the nutritionist today for the last time before surgery and she was very helpful and supportative. Can't believe my date is almost here!!!!!!
Im thankful I have school to keep me very busy ortherwise I would be climbing the walls. lol
got the call today and my aproval is in!!!!!! Very happy that big weight is lifted now on to the next stage in this journey.
Going on a cruise, leaving sunday and will spend a week in the sun well deserved.
Peace
Found out that a friend has cancer and its terminal so sad. Thinking about all of this just makes me want to get my surgery even more. This makes me so sure that I want to change my life and enjoy the second half as a healthy person. If your reading this and your on the fence about the surgery, all I can say is look back at the life that you have lived so far and be honest with yourself. What have you missed because of your weight? Food might have ruled my life in the past but I am determine to come out on top and I will rule food!
Have a blessed Easter
Peace
T
Good Morning
So I decided to start this blog after reading so much on this site from so many people my head is spinning!!!
First here is some details about me:
I am 52
Married for 30 years great husband (Professional Chef)
I have a 27 yr old son who is a research chemist and a great guy (not just cause I'm his mom). He also makes homemade wine and vinegar's.
I have two wonderful and crazy dogs that keep me laughing all the time.
I am a full time college student Criminal Justice.
I volunteer with senior citizens and abused children.
I am a cancer survivor and a host of other crap.
I have been on disability since 1996 and my goal is to become whole again.
That being said lets get to the meat of it all:
I am a classic YOYO dieter, I have tried every new or old thing I find. I always seem to lose but gain back more. I finally realized I needed help, so I turned to the internet and looked at information on WLS. My cousin whom I am close to had RNY lost it all and gained it back, she then got the lap band and does not lose, so I was aprehensive about the whole thing.
I went to my Dr. (who is also a good friend) loaded with all the information I found, and asked her if she thought I would be a candidate for WLS, she said yes. From there her and I went to a seminar. I already had so much of the pretesting that is required done, so I scheduled a consult with the surgeon from the seminar.
I felt like I was in a used car lot, all he cared about was how he was going to get paid from the insurance company. He had good reviews on the interent however that did not sway me, I ran from his office second guessing myself.
I then went to another seminar at Duke University, and another at a private Dr.'s office. What a difference from the first dr. I learned there are so many different procedures available and not everyone can have the lap band.
I have decided to go with Duke and Dr. Yoo for a lap band with plication (they stitch the stomach into a sleeve and it is reversable).
I am going for my consult with Dr. Yoo on april 28th, I only need two more months of documented weight consult with my dr.
I am trying to have my surgery the first week of June.
I have only told a limited amount of people what I plan on doing, I found the less people know right now the better. I don't want anyone to try and influence me.
The best advise I can give to anyone just starting this journey is find out what your insurance company requires and start doing it now! The wheels move slowly and as the time gets closer you want to know you won't miss anything that would cause a delay. Be totally in love with your Dr and the staff cause this is a marriage. Keep a book with you at all times and write down questions nothing is a stupid question. So many of the postings I have read are questions people should have asked their doctor.
Start experimenting with protein powders and drinks now, cause you want to be somewhat prepared when the time comes. Remember this is a tool not a magic pill.
I will post as often as I can or when something happens good or bad cause we are all in this together.
Peace
T
So this afternoon my husband and I took the dogs to the park and walked once around the lake. I thought I was going to die! I had foot surgery and could only wear flip flops (cyst removed on top of the foot) so I really didn't have any support, but it wasn't even the foot it was feeling like I was draging a dead body around that dam lake. That just cemented my decision to go ahead with the WLS. In case anyone is wondering about the title of my blog, I lived the first half of my life and now I am 52 and living the second half and I want to feel better.
I think this will end up being a very emotional journey not just a physical one.
Life continued.......
Peace
So came home from vacation all nice and tan, School started today so very busy with that. Tomorrow and Wed have appointments at Duke, then June 13th is my big day!!!!!!!
Peace out
T
Went to the dr yesterday and they changed my date from the 13th to the 10th!!!! So much to get done. School is crazy busy don't understand why it is crazy Im usually very together but I don't feel together. Well I will just keep pluggin along.
Peace
Had my 3 week check up today and I am down 20 pounds!!!!!! Feel great and all is well, can't believe how great this is going. So happy I did this. Now I start mushies today.
Good Morning,
Been crazy busy with finals for school but thought I would post an update:
Thursday April 28th I went to Duke for my visit with my surgeon Dr. Yoo. I really like him and his staff which is so important, he is very upfront and says it is a marriage for us and we must be honest and dedicated. I have everything done I just need my last 2 dr appointments I have one scheduled may 5 and june 2, and then everything gets submitted after that. They said they can schedule the surgery as soon as the approval comes thru and they are pretty quick with the scheduling. Dr. Yoo gives his patients his email address and checks it two times a day, everyday and he personally responds.
School is done on May 5th (full time college student), I am going for a long weekend in boston and then taking off on a Cruise for a week. I figure this is a great distraction while waiting for my surgery. School starts again on May 23rd so life will be very busy.
Will post again and put up picks from the cruise!!!
Peace
TT
Well I got the call today and my surgery is June 13th. My husband still is not on board with this but I am determined I will do this for me. I am tired of hearing I love you just the way you are, it's about my health, why can't he get that thru his head. The Dr. told me today that I am boarder line diabetic and you would think that he would understand since he is diabetic, but I guess not. I will forge forward and continue this journey no matter what!!!
On a positive note I made the Deans list yay.
Peace out
Why are we always waiting? We wait for aproval, we wait for the scale to move,we wait for everything and then when it finally gets here we question it.
Guess I'm just tired of waiting but then again I have come to realize there is our time and Gods time and sometimes they are a world apart.
Peace
